The Mew Project
by ZoeyHoshi
Summary: To defend an entire planet, Ryou must sacrifice five girls' lives. Ichigo has a great destiny as Mew Ichigo, leader of Tokyo Mew Mew. She must face fierce alien warriors, confused Mew Mews, her own DNA and Kish who lusts to break her. Yet things aren't that simple as hidden secrets and prophecies shift the tide of battle beneath their feet. Mature rewrite of TMM, IXMa IXK LXR
1. Enter the Protragonist

**Author's Note**: This is the re-write of the first chapters of The Mew Project. After a whole truck-load of assignments and tests, not to mention I was trolled several times (Called a Weeaboo, my 4 years of Japanese doubted etc. Not that I care, I love other cultures, Japanese culture happens to be a favourite, so I am a Weeaboo and proud of it!) I was pulled into a writer's block. I have so much more to this story so I was hoping if I went back to the beginning, I might get back my passion for this.

**Note:** I am Australian, and we have alternative ways of spelling certain words from America. Eg. Mum/Mom, -ise/-ize etc.

I know it is a major pain to do this, but please leave comments/reviews etc. because it **really** does cheer me up, knowing that this story is actually read and liked by people. **Thank you and sorry for all this!**

**Timeline** – Three days before the start of The Mew Project

* * *

**Chapter 1****: Enter the protagonists**

The sounds of footsteps filled every street as hundreds of people commuted to work or school. The non-stop traffic crept beside the sidewalk, the hum of the engines lifted up, alongside the emissions into the sky. The tall structures of Tokyo painted the horizon gray, a never-ceasing tide of development and technology.

In one of the residential areas of Tokyo the sunlight shone brightly through a window, creating a dappling-like pattern as it broke through the white lace curtains. A continuous ticking of a little red, belled alarm clock echoed in the room yet did not rouse the girl under the multiple thick blankets that rose and fell with her breathing.

"Ichigo! Breakfast is ready!" A women voice called out. The twelve-year old just mumbled something incoherent and snuggled into her large pillow. Her sugar-pink hair was in a mess from a night of tossing around in her bed and her long eyelashes were clumped together by yellow clods of sleep. There was a minute silence before the woman called out again.

"Ichigo! Get up!" This time, her voice had that hit of authority in it, "Your breakfast is getting cold!"

The girl lazily opened her large light pink eyes. She just gazed sightlessly forward for a while as her brain started to work, her bodies' functions speeding up as her sleepiness wore away. She moaned as she pushed herself up, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes.

"I still had five minutes…" She groaned as she glanced at the ticking alarm clock.

"Momomiya Ichigo!" Ichigo's mother called out again.

"I'm up!" Ichigo replied to her mother and she let out a small yawn.

"Honestly…" Ichigo's mother sighed as she glanced up the wooden staircase, waiting for her daughter. She ran her fingers through her neck-length crimson hair that framed her round face as she walked back to the dining table. A middle-aged man sat at the head of the wooden table, flicking through the newspaper. His cheekbones and his short black hair that was jelled up into spikes made his face appear long.

"She isn't out of bed yet Sakura," He commented as the woman walked over to him.

"Not yet but she will be soon," Sakura smiled at him. She brought her hand up to his forehead and glided a thumb over the developing wrinkles on his slightly tanned skin.

"Shintaro, you have been pushing yourself too much at work," She commented, leaning forward to place a delicate kiss on his brow. His gray eyes flickered with warm at the gentle actions. Sakura lowered her head and embraced him.

"Don't overwork yourself," She instructed him, gazing at him with loving hazel eyes.

"Sakur-" Shintaro was interrupted as a loud thump sounded from upstairs. Sakura jumped at this, her loving and caring mood ripped from her in a second.

"Ichigo's up!" She chimed as she walked off to set up more breakfast for herself. Shintaro pouted and glanced to the side as he mentally cursed Ichigo's timing.

"That hurt!" Ichigo whimpered as she held her forehead, which throbbed hotly against her palm. She kicked off her pink pyjama pants that were wrapped around her ankles, the cause of her accident. She quickly slid her undershirts on and put her long sleeved, gray school blazer on top, and quickly tied up the red ribbon attached to the dark gray sailor collar. She slipped into the puffy, gray skirt and her white stockings and then she looked at herself in the mirror. She ran the brush over her hair and with two swift movements, pulled her hair into her trademark pigtails. She looked at her skin closely, checking that she was presentable before making her way downstairs to her parents.

"Took your time," Her father snapped at her before scoffing down his bowl of rice. His eyes were shut tightly and anyone could sense his irritated aura. Ichigo jumped back at her father's irked tone.

"Breakfast is early this morning, you dummy!" Ichigo spat back at him, annoyed at his 'random' anger.

'Just a normal day,' Sakura sighed as she sat down for breakfast.

"I'm off!" Ichigo called out as she tapped the tip of her brown boots on the path, making sure that they were on properly. She took off along the sidewalk, making sure her brown school bag wouldn't bump into any one. Ichigo glanced up at the blue sky and let out a sigh of contentment as a rush of energy perked her spirits up. She stopped at the lights, waiting for them to change and she found herself sightlessly staring forward.

'I wonder if I'll see him on the way to class today?' She pondered. She could just picture herself walking alone and then, up ahead would be the perfectly sculpted body, the well-kept black hair boy. Even if she just walked behind him she would be radiating happy vibrations all day.

"Hmm, but he would never…" Ichigo was cut off as someone wrapped their thin arms around her waist, pulling her into their body. Ichigo gasped aloud, in shock as bile rose up in her throat. Who ever this was, they were brave to do this in broad-daylight. However, Ichigo let out her breath when her back came into contact with two breasts, not a man's excitement. A head rested on her shoulder, honey blonde curls brushing her neck.

"He would never what? Thinking dirty thoughts weren't ya?" A girl's voice patronised Ichigo, her slight fingers tickling Ichigo's stomach. Ichigo's heart thumped hard in embarrassment as the girl hit the nail on the head.

"It wasn't dirty!" Ichigo protested, "I was just thinking about him in general Moe!" Ichigo hissed at her best friend who let her go. Moe's rosy cheek were framed ever-so perfectly with her curled, neck-length hair. Her light ruby eyes shone with amusement.

"Sorry! Sorry!" She said, her hand raised vertically against her mouth, "You were just so obviously spacing out about Aoyama that it was hard to not do that. What, did you think I was a perverted old man?" She laughed, placing her hands on her perfectly shaped hips.

"Well, I was glad to fall another girl's body, not to mention your body the first time," Ichigo stated, Moe laughed at his.

"Hey drop that already!" She laughed, "What makes my body so great anyway?" Moe asked Ichigo.

"You seriously want to know?" Ichigo asked her as they crossed the road, "Your heart-shaped face with perfect curls framing it. Beautiful ruby eyes and rosy cheeks, not to mention your bust size, your body is like an hour-glass, your bust, your shoulders don't slope down but aren't too broad. Your bust again…" Ichigo listed, Moe tapped her on the shoulder.

"I get it, I have big breasts for my age," Moe laughed, "But I feel flattered," She smiled.

"And I feel insignificant now and a little bit uncomfortable about listing all of those things," Ichigo half-joked. Moe gave her a side-glance that Ichigo could plainly translated.

"_What was a stupid thing to think_,"

"We all have our separate charm, you're cute, bubbly, happy-go-lucky, a little ditzy but that just adds to your childish cutesiness," Moe replied back to her, cutting down Ichigo's comment. Ichigo smiled at this and lightly bumped Moe on the shoulder.

"Thanks Moe,"

"No problem," She smiled back with her full-lips and rosy cheeks.

"Seriously, put some glasses on you and you're totally Moe*!" Ichigo joked.

"Do not use that pun again," Moe pouted.

They continued their trek to Daikan Junior High School, the closer they got, the more people they bumped into adorning the gray Sailor-fuku* and the boys wearing a sleek gray blazer and matching pants.

A girl walked out of a twenty-four hour convenience shop, putting a bottle of water into her bag. Her gray-blue eyes scanned the street and they lit up as her gaze landed on Moe and Ichigo.

"Ichigo! Moe!" She called out and sprinted towards them.

"Miwa!" Moe responded, stopping to let Miwa catch up to them. Her thin brown hair was cut extremely short, just covering her forehead before ending at the start of her neck. She caught her breath quickly and smiled at her two loyal friends.

"Sorry! I left home earlier than usual because my clock was fast," She apologised to them, "It felt so strange walking to school by myself,".

"It's okay!" Ichigo smiled at her as they continued walking to school, the school gates just in their sights. They continued their chatter as they walked through the school gates. Ichigo subconsciously glanced around, wondering if she could see that crown of black hair however to her disappointment, he was nowhere to be found.

"Ichigo? Did you hear me?" Miwa asked her politely, her gray-blue eyes looking up at her questionably.

"Eh? Umm… No, sorry," Ichigo mumbled, snapping out of her slight dismay.

"She was thinking about Aoyama again!" Moe chimed in.

"Yeah, I was thinking about Ao-" Then it clicked in Ichigo's mind what she was saying. Her heart raced and she glanced around, hoping that no one around her heard that.

"You're blushing…" Moe teased, smiling smugly, Miwa smiled back at Moe and nodded in agreement.

"This is starting to be a bit of a problem huh?" Miwa commented, "I mean, what if she does it in class?"

"What if she does it at canteen duty?" Moe piped in. Ichigo's heart increased at the thoughts of the embarrassing situations they were pouring into her mind. She shook her head from side to side furiously.

"No, no, NO!" She mumbled aloud. The two girls laughed and hugged their ditzy friend in an attempt to calm her down.

"You know what this means Miwa?" Moe asked.

"Yep, it means we have to work harder!" Miwa added. Ichigo snapped out of her little spaz and glanced at her two friends.

"Harder? At what?"

"To get you two together!" They chimed together. Ichigo's heart fluttered at this show of friendship. She couldn't help a wide grin appearing on her face.

"Thank you guys!" Ichigo hugged them back as optimistic energy pumped through her veins. Although she couldn't escape the cold nagging gremlin called reality in the back of her mind.

'He has the whole school after him, many, many girls to pick from… Why would he pick me? Ichigo Momomiya out of everyone else?' Ichigo thought realistically as she changed her shoes around from outside shoes to indoor shoes.

'After all, this is Aoyama Masaya we are talking about, the dream boy of Daikan Junior High…" Ichigo thought as she headed to her homeroom.

* * *

Across town, a large sprawling park was alive with people. Either walking their beloved pets, watching them run over the well-kept grass or couples sitting against thick trunks of trees, which were either bear with no leaves, in a dormant state, waiting for the approaching spring, or trees that kept their leaves, continuing to photosynthesis in an environment where carbon dioxide was plentiful. In this park stood a three-story building that was shaped into a sort of circular tower. It was constructed of light pink bricks and dark pink tiles made a domed roof. On top of the dome was a strange golden cat-like ornament that was watching over the park with light blue, stone eyes. The building was complete with love-heart shaped windows and stained glass on top of the dome. A few city workers and inspectors walked out of the building, checking and writing down notes on a clipboard.

"Yep, that's everything, back to city hall to process this," A suited man informed the small group. They gazed at the building in confusion, shaking their head they walked off.

"It looks like it was designed by a five-year old girl," One the workers mumbled to another as they got in their vehicles.

"Why is our headquarters this Café?" A boy fifteen year old asked. Two men were within the basement of the building in a fortified room. The only light came from the various screens, television and computer screens filled the east and west walls, providing a sickly dull, artificial light. The screens had various equations, erratic numbers and codes in blinking green text as a green column slid through them all, numbers relentlessly reappeared again. 3D images of strains of multi-coloured DNA, scientific diagrams filled the remaining screens, only one screen was stuck on the 24-hour news channel, showing images from all-around the world. The east, north and west walls had a single bench wrapped around it, little lamps marking out the little workspaces that had been created over months of researching and work.

Typing on a keyboard was a twenty-one year old. His thick rimmed, rectangular glasses perched perfectlu on the bridge of his nose. His deep hazel eyes were focused on the computer screen yet, he smiled at the teenager's remark. His thick brown hair was pulled into a ponytail that reached down to his middle-back. His bangs flicked out to the right and left from a large part in the center of his forehead. He glanced at the blonde haired and blue-eyed teenager. From those two features and his tall nose and his face structure, you could easily tell that he wasn't full-blooded Japanese. He was the perfect image of a stereotyped American. He leaned back in his leather office chair, his long legs clothed in white, designer jeans. His expensive dark brown leather vest was hidden from sight by the teenager's black and white striped, long-sleeved hoodie jacket.

"Keiichiro… This place is so, so prosaic," He stated, imitating a fancy, stuck-up critic. This show created a deep chuckle from the adult who was kept warm by his think, black trench coat and black pants.

"Alas, prosaic has a beauty to it Ryou," Keiichiro added. The teen sighed and rocked back and forth more.

"But, why? Love hearts everywhere… Pink everywhere… Honestly, it's like if you put My Little Pony, strawberry short cake, a unicorn, the powerpuff girls, the colour pink, dresses, lipstick, cute animals with fat bodies and large eyes and fairies in a blender and used the result of that as the bricks for this place!" He ranted, this only brought amusement to Keiichiro.

"Have you seen the furniature that I ordered in?" Keiichiro asked him, his polite smile and hazel eyes hid the mischief perfectly in a perfect poker face.

"No…" He replied, confused at the change of subject.

"You'll love them, I got several sets of love heart chairs and tables in, they are really quite cute…" He informed him, his smile turned into a teasing smirk. Ryou's face turned into complete shock and in the shock, pushed himself of the bench with too much force. The chair fell over backwards onto the black titled floor and sent Ryou flying backwards.

"Shit! That hurt…" He cursed out as his elbow smashed lightly onto the ground. Pain took hold and tingled around his funny bone, as if ants were crawling in a frenzy around his limbs and bones, creeping up his arm. Keiichiro's smirk had disappeared and turned around from an immature adult with friends, to a father concerned for his child's wellbeing. He walked over to Ryou as he stood up, he looked into his hazel eyes and he could see that look.

That look that Ryou hated so much.

"I'm okay, I'm not a little kid anymore," Ryou huffed, looking away, "You did that on purpose, didn't you?"

"I'm afraid so," Keiichiro admitted smiling, back to his normal nature, "I didn't think you would be shocked by that," He half-lied.

"Of course I would be!" Ryou spazzed back at him, "I mean, jeez! Next thing there will be a unicorn outside with a pony petting zoo…" He groaned. Keiichiro's right eyebrow rised up and he stared off sightlessly.

"You're thinking about that aren't you? Don't. Do. That," Ryou breathed as he pulled his chair back up. Keiichiro just dropped the over the top idea and sat back down. Ryou glanced away from the screens and back down at his friend and accomplice.

"I was joking anyway," Keiichiro stated.

"Why does it have to be this?" Ryou asked him. Keiichiro sighed and returned his gaze.

"Ryou, you know why," he stated, his happy demeanor disappeared in an instant. This unnerved Ryou a little, but it was a serious topic in the end.

"The Mew Project is nowhere near complete. We could truthfully spend decades getting it to its full potential. However, we cannot wait any longer… Just like you said yourself Ryou. We need to act now. The only way for The Mew Project to work 100%, to have perfect infusion, perfect control of abilities without disrupting the human deoxyribonucleic acid permanently, and in that, without changing the number of chromosomes. However at the same time, it must be able to assimilate into the host's body and alter only a few chromosomes to enable metamorphosis. The only way so far is for the host to be still developing mentally and psychically and be female," Keiichiro finished his long exposition.

"So make this place girly as hell to attract preteen and teenage girls here so we can ruin their DNA, effectively not making them human anymore…" Ryou bluntly summed up Keiichiro assessment. He looked off into the computer screen.

"I at least made it sound less harsh… But that is what we must do," Keiichiro replied to him. Silence settled over them, endless and rapid sounds of Keiichiro's slender, long fingers hitting the keys on the keyboard. Ryou sighed as he gazed up at the screens.

"Everyone is going to think we are a gay couple…" Ryou groaned. Keiichiro raised his eyebrows questionably at this remark. "It doesn't help that you're older than me too, it just makes people think that we are gay,"

"No they won't, you'll have girls all over you," Keiichiro replied frankly, "You haven't even had s-"

"It has nothing to do with that! I'm not talking my non-existent, I repeat! My non-existent sex life! I'm talking about the damage to my pride," Ryou yelled back at Keiichiro.

"Something will happen eventually, you will have five young girls around…" Keiichiro laughed, "Just be safe,"

"What are we taught since day-one of high school?" Ryou spat back, crossing his arms, "I am going to be living in a pink castle… With no experience with girls… With another man… It sounds so gay…" Ryou complained.

"You'll get used to it…"Keiichiro stated and he shut the computer down. He got up and stretched his arms out.

"What are you doing?" Ryou asked

"We are going to the zoo remember? Today we are collecting the samples for the Mew Project," Keiichiro reminded him. Ryou face-palmed himself for not remembering this. He stood up and yawned as he observed the data that filled the room.

'Increasing dead zones… Rising global temperatures… Deforestation of forests all over the world and more developments,' Ryou scanned all of the graphs and information.

"It's increasing to much… They have to be adding to it," Ryou murmured aloud, "But we have added to it as well," He added.

"This is our redemption then," Keiichiro smiled at him. He ruffled his blonde hair as he passed him.

"But then, what can we do when we sacrifice five young girl's lives?" Ryou pointed out, "What is our redemption then?"

"You will figure that out," Keiichiro added as he walked out of the door.

* * *

**Zoey Hoshi**: Wow, I sounded scientific in this chapter. I guess Biology and Earth & Environmental Science do have a use for me!

**Ryou:** Nice to know how focused you are at school

**Zoey Hoshi:** You hated school too but you were rich and super-genius so you were able to get your butt outta there quickly, I gotta actually work to get out at the end of next year… Only to go into 5 years of university…

**Ryou**: Nice One

**Zoey Hoshi**: You would've too if did all your schooling in Japan!


	2. Encounter

**Author's Note**: The passion is slowing coming back, so I'll keep on revising these chapters. I'm thinking of revising up to chapter 8.

I'm ditching the whole 'I'm not good enough' subplot, it went nowhere so I can do with out it. So I'm focusing on the Zoo trip, I'm hoping to get all the 'strange animal encounters' done in one chapter so I don't disrupt the flow of the story. It was a thing that always irritated me so hopefully I might get the Zoo trip done in 1-2 chapters, leaving me to focus more on the girls!

**Note:** I am Australian, and we have alternative ways of spelling certain words from America. Eg. Mum/Mom, -ise/-ize etc.

I know it is a major pain to do this, but please leave comments/reviews etc. because it **really** does cheer me up, knowing that this story is actually read and liked by people. **Thank you and sorry for all this!**

* * *

**Chapter 2: Encounter**

In the heart of the city, on the opposite side of the road from the large, spacious park was a special zoo. The elegant gates to this zoo had cut-outs of elephants, giraffes and in front of the ticket booths were statues that kids eagerly flocked to so they could climb on them and their doting parents stood around, turning into the child's personal photographer. The foreign and exotic calls and howls of animals made every child's heart beat with excitement, throbbing and tingling with adventure as their parents dug a hole in their wallets.

A zoo like this was unusual for Tokyo, they were lucky enough to snatch up a large piece of land to develop it on. Down the end of the zoo stood a tall white building that branched off into smaller blocks. Zookeepers and biologist flocked in and out of this building to the large enclosures. This place doubled as a biological study area and a safe-heaven for endangered species, as scientist try to re-populate and save the species.

A beautiful red Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano glided smoothly into the zoo personnel car park and Keiichiro, the owner of this glamorous vehicle, searched for a park

"So they believe we are Endangered Zoology researchers? What kind of crap did you spout to make them believe you and allow you to do this?" Ryou asked him.

"Well, it is partly the truth," Keiichiro stated.

"So studying Archaeology for years in university counts as a degree in Zoology?" Ryou asked.

"Right!" Keiichiro grinned at him as he pulled into a park and swiftly cut the purring engine.

"So," Ryou said, hopping out of the car, hold onto a large shoulder bag tightly, "We are Gay Archaeologist Zoology researchers," Ryou stated, Keiichiro threw a look back at him and he sighed.

"Not this again…" Keiichiro sighed as he locked his precious car and they walked to the elevator. They stepped in into it and were immediately shocked at how clean it was. The metal walls were semi-reflective, showing the shocked faces of the two boys. To them, they had been practically living in a small room in the basement of a pink café. That room was full of data and dirty laundry pilled up on the ground and blankets sat were they were dropped. The sight of a spotless, clean area was foreign to them.

"Maybe we should clean up when we get back?" Ryou asked him as he leaned against the wall. Keiichiro pressed the button and smiled at Ryou.

"Agreed, anyway, for the last time," Keiichiro said, getting back to the point, "We aren't gay, unless you are telling me something," Keiichiro teased him. Ryou didn't even reply to his teasing comment. They stepped out of the elevator and a few people stepped up to them.

The conversation biologist was an aging man, his wrinkles gave him that 'old, wise elder' look, complete with a gray beard and thinning hair on his head. The ecologist was a young black haired girl, fresh out of university. She looked out of place with her curvy body and full lips. The last man, the Zoologist, was a middle-aged with large circular glasses and two crooked teeth.

"It's so good to see you again Akasaka-san!" The zoologist greeted him with a bow. Keiichiro returned the bow.

"Thank you so much Suzuki-san, sorry for interrupting your work for today," Keiichiro greeted him, "Also, this is the true mastermind of the project, Ryou Shirogane," Keiichiro introduce Ryou. Ryou bowed to the team of adults, Suzuki bowed back but the other two bowed but they looked at the teenager with confusion. Ryou bit back the anger and annoyance that start to build up in his gut. Keiichiro glanced over at Ryou, observing his change in aura.

"These are my associates, Ito-san," The said, motioning to the female, "And Miyagi-san," Suzuki-san introduced the elderly man.

'Oh My God, It's Mr. Miyagi!' The two thought comically.

"Is it true that at your age, you're leading a project? Aren't you busy with school?" Ito-san asked Ryou. Bile boiling with rage started to seep up Ryou's throat. Keiichiro's heart skipped a heartbeat and he jumped into the conversation.

"Actually, he is from America and has finished his education. His father was the famous scientist Shirogane-san. He tested Ryou's I.Q and announced his level is over 180! Amazing isn't it?" He said, Ryou could tell he had a worried tone in his voice. He knew if Ryou's anger exploded, the Mew Project wouldn't go anywhere. Ryou tried his best to hide and bottle his anger but it was about 'that topic'.

"Yes, it is true, I am the leader of this project…" Ryou stated, his voice came out a little rough but Ito-san didn't notice this. Ryou could tell that she was huffed as she refused to make eye-contact with him. Miyagi-san just stroked his beard, as if pondering something.

"That is truly amazing," His croaked voice responded to Ryou. Suzuki-san bowed in front of Ryou before he shot up in realisation.

"Oh! I should do this properly!" He said and reached out his hand to shake Ryou's. Ryou shook his hand, after moving to Japan, he almost forgot that handshakes existed.

"I looked up to your father, he was a brilliant researcher," He stated and left it at that. Ryou got the brief feeling that Suzuki-san wanted to say something else however he just turned around and led them outside.

* * *

"Here it is, first stop!" Suzuki-san announced as they stepped into a closed off area to a large tank. The titled floor was covered water that never seemed to evaporate. The whole area smelt of fish and salt water. A zookeeper walked into the room, bowed in greeting to the group and walked off, preparing a bucket of fish and squid for them.

"So you are getting all these different animal species' DNA?" Miyagi-san asked Ryou as he scanned through Keiichiro's notes. Ryou nodded in reply.

"The more, the better," Ryou replied. The zookeeper returned carrying a green bucket smelling of seafood. She had gray, water shoes instead of the usual brown, zookeeper boots. She took a deep breath and walked up to the tank. The tank disappeared into another area, where people see them on exhibition. Where the group of scientists and zookeeper was standing, the tank became shallow, turning into a 'beach' like area. The zookeeper then bravely took a step into the ocean temperature water. Ryou and Keiichiro cringed at this, imagining the freezing cold water swirling around their feet. The chilly water would snatch the warmth from their blood in a second. They shifted uncomfortably and a certain 'sensitive' organ screamed at the very thought of cold water encasing it and shrinking into their bodies.

The zookeeper patted on the water's surface, splashing water up and around but soon, several gray shapes entered the tank. Keiichiro and Ryou moved forward to observe the submarine-like shapes that glided swiftly and gracefully through the water.

"Black Finless Porpoise," Ryou breathed aloud as they watched the animals as they surfaced and took a breath before diving again. It shocked Ryou that they weren't flashy creatures like their close cousin the common dolphin. They surrounded the zookeeper who feed them, keeping them happy as Ryou and Keiichiro observed them.

"Take your pick Ryou," Keiichiro said as he got a small needle ready and marked a vial in permanent texter 'BLACK FINLESS PORPOISE'. Ryou observed all of them, and noticed that one of them was watching him with shy curiousity. Ryou took a good look at the porpoise. Its little beady eyes watched him intently.

"It's strange that she is so close to a stranger…" Ryou could read someone say but it sounded so distant. Ryou tried to look back to see who it was but his eyes were fixed on the porpoise's. Ryou's limbs felt light, also has if they were made of nothing but air. Ryou moved his fingers slightly, testing that he still had them. The feeling spread throughout his body and it quickly dimmed and slowed down his nervous system. His vision around the porpoise faded as he focused on the animal.

"That one," Ryou mumbled to Keiichiro. Keiichiro stared at the teenager, and walked up to him. He was standing still, perfectly still and his eyes didn't move off the porpoise's gaze.

"Ryou, Ryou, what's wrong?" Keiichiro whispered. Ryou just shook his head in reply, Keiichiro's heart thumped as panic began to grow.

"What is wrong?" He repeated.

"I don't know, just that one…" Ryou said, "Its gaze is so…" Ryou murmured before he stopped talking. The more he stared at the creature the more certain he was.

"Caring, a little shy but brave at the same time, gentle and not rushing into danger and loving for the creatures around it," He continued, "I get that feeling from this creature," Ryou said. Keiichiro calmed down as Ryou started to snap back into his usual personality. Keiichiro passed the needle to the zookeeper and thanked her as she walked to the porpoise.

The needle pricked the rubber-like skin and the porpoise released Ryou's gaze and started to eat a treat as its blood filled the vial. Ryou took a deep breath and took a step back.

"What happened Ryou?" Keiichiro asked him.

"I really don't know, it's just like I was stuck in its gaze and I felt empty, as if I was nothing before my heart exploded with these emotions of love, love for creatures, caring about everything close to the porpoise and it was so gentle, like a mother's love for it's newborn child…" Ryou breathed, shaken by the peculiar event. "As if it was volunteering itself to us… As if she knew why were here…" Ryou glanced off into the distance as Keiichiro retrieved the vial and needle. He placed it in its rightful slot in Ryou's shoulder bag.

'That DNA is going to change some girl's life… Forever…' Ryou thought as he stared at the bag and they took off to the next animal.

It was clear that something was up, that the animal knew more than Keiichiro and Ryou gave them credit for. Is appeared that every creature they visited was just waiting for them before happily and swiftly co-operating with them.

* * *

Screeching hidden birds filled the air. Fluttering of wings as birds flew to avoid an onlooker, hiding in the large leafed tropical trees. Palm trees made excellent hiding spots for little tropical birds, no matter the colour of their feathers. People spend hours looking for every bird in the exhibit before giving up and moving off.

This particular aviary was home to the little bird Ultramarine Lorikeet that people swore that was invisible. You would be extremely lucky to get a glimpse of the little rare lorikeet as it hid in its tropical cage, eating fruit and cleaning its feathers.

"You won't find it," Ito-san said realistically to Ryou, he just shrugged at this comment.

"Well, we'll see," He commented back to her as they stepped into the aviary. Suzuki-san asked a few zookeepers to fetch a net. They looked around, trying to get a glimpse of blue. However, this became more tedious as all they could hear was hundreds of bird calls mixed together in an single annoying shrill screeching accompanied with flapping of countless wings.

"I hope we get outta here soon," Ryou breathed.

"Not likely," Ito-san said, Ryou just rolled his eyes at her.

Then Ryou felt a small body land on his shoulder. The three scientists looked in awe as the Ultramarine Lorikeet sat simply on Ryou's shoulder, its pupils contracted as it stared at him. The lorikeet starting arching its back and stretching its body. Ryou stared at this bizarre 'dance' before turning to Keiichiro.

"That was eas-" Ryou's statement was cut short as the little bird let out a loud, shrill screech into Ryou's ear. Ryou's gritted his teeth as his left ear was blanketed in silence, which was only broken by continuous ringing.

"Those actions before were warnings to you," Suzuki-san explained, "It does that if your near something dear to it, or if it just doesn't like you or it is irritated,".

"That friggin' bird," Ryou hissed, veins popping up on his knuckles. Keiichiro laughed and reach out his flat palm to the feisty orange-beaked lorikeet. The bird glanced up at Keiichiro before hopping on top his palm, taking its time.

"You just have to be gentle with it Ryou, it is a pleasant bird," Keiichiro said as he plucked a feather from the bird's deep blue wings. It then fluttered off into the trees where it hid from people's sight while it groomed it white chest feathers. It shot a glance back at Ryou, its pupils contracting but this time he was drawn into them as a feeling of power arms bewitched him, the feeling of the wind over his bare skin made a shiver snake up his spine. A powerful urge to protect his land and others that doubt him accompanied this. However his heart exploded with a want to be close to someone, to never be alone and look after the dearest people to him...

'It's happening again!' He thought before Ito-san snapped him out of his thoughts.

"What was that!" Ito-san exclaimed in pure shock, "It never does that!". This only provoked Miyagi-san to break out in a stereotypical old man's laughing fit.

"You really are some huh? Ryou-kun," Miyagi-san rasped.

* * *

They made there way over to the wolves after stopping by the Kauai Wolf Spider which sat still as they took a microscopic scrap of its skin and flesh as it's sightless eyes stared at them. The flighty Gouldian finch was easily caught and didn't freak as they plucked one of its brilliant golden feathers. The proud Persian leopard appeared from its hiding place at the upper corner of its cage. It gave Ryou the chills as it watched them all with golden eyes and showed of it's large set of canine teeth. The Fiery Redfin didn't flop around as it was pulled from its aquatic environment. Even though the fear of asphyxiate plagued its mind, as it wasn't able to respire. It let them take a clip from its fin before it was released into the water. The African elephant stood tall and proud, never knowing fear. Keiichiro and Ryou had a hard time going near the large mature elephant with bone-white tusks. However, by the brave zookeepers, that weren't bothered at all by the amazingly strong and powerful creature, they got the DNA sample.

Ito-san now wasn't even acknowledging Ryou, from what Ryou could tell, she was clearing vexed that he hadn't gone through all the hard work of the Japanese education system and it irritated her that he was getting much more attention than her.

They reached the barred cage of the gray wolf. The three scientists searched the room to find the lone wolf on top of a rock, watching over them with cold eyes. Ito-san jumped in fear at the sight of the wolf, Keiichiro glanced around and noticed that everyone had a little bit of fear in their eyes. The wolf stood up and slowly made its way done to the front of the cage. Its gaze flicked from Ryou to Keiichiro as it sat in front of them. Keiichiro could hear a quiet growl in the back of the wolf's throat.

"Maybe you should pass on this one?" Suzuki-san suggested and Ito-san nodded at him, her throat clenching up with fear.

"No, I'll go," Keiichiro said, getting the vial labeled and ready.

"What! Are you crazy?" Ito-san squeaked, she coughed and cleared her throat before continuing, "That is insane! You'll be hurt! Seriously hurt!".

"I won't be, we have seen something incredible today, I have to trust this hunch of mine," Keiichiro explained as he headed for the door. Ryou watched him as he unlocked the door.

"But!" Ito-san piped up before Miyagi-san interrupted her.

"Let him go, let's just observe, shall we?" he commanded them as Keiichiro stepped into the pen.

The wolf stared at Keiichiro as he slowly approached it. The wolf's golden eyes watched him and it began to sniff the air around Keiichiro, inhaling his scent. Keiichiro stood still as the wolf started to move its body. It sat down in front of Keiichiro before laying down onto its side and slightly lifting up a hind leg.

"That pose! It's submitting to you!" Suzuki called out to Keiichiro, "It has identified you as an Alpha! This is your chance!" He explained. Keiichiro was shocked at this and took a breath. He had to choose his next few actions wisely. He walked over to the canine and knelt down beside it. With his free hand, he slowly reached down and patted the wolf gently, his fingers running through its thick fur. The wolf jumped at this foreign yet calming action.

"This is be quick, and after this, you will have done so much for this planet," Keiichiro explained. The wolf then sat up quickly and just looked him in the eyes as it gave Keiichiro access to its scruff.

Keiichiro's heart thumped with a strange winter-like chill, he had a strange want to feel snow on his bare skin as he walked through a white landscape. Walking solitary, a strange feeling to protect was his, he felt as if he could do it with the surging power that trembled in his cells. Keiichiro took a breath at this foreign feeling and gave an almost silent thank you to the creature as he inserted the needle.

"See, he is alright," Miyagi-san chuckled as Suzuki-san watched wide-eyed. Ryou sighed and looked at his list of animals.

"Let's head over to the monkeys," Ryou instructed Keiichiro who nodded in response.

Ryou thought the birds were loud, but it was nothing compared to the monkeys. The tall wire cages stretched across the sky, creating a caged-like effect when Ryou and Keiichiro stepped inside the cage.

The cage was dominated by wooden structure that stretched across the enclosure and created platforms for the little creatures. They all watched the supposed 'evolved' monkeys walk over and give the little Golden Lion Tamarins fruit. An inquisitive young female acrobatically jumped down the timber poles and ropes until it was beside Keiichiro. He looked down at the little Tamarin, its brown eyes matching his hazel eyes. Keiichiro knelt down and looked at the little creature closely, seeing every crease in its brown skin before it disappeared under its golden 'mane'. It sat down and looked deeply into his eyes and Keiichiro found it impossible to look away. His heart thudded with energy and the smell of the South American jungle filled his noise, the smell of rotting leaves and fresh air. The energy pulsed down, raging along his nerves to his whole body. He felt as if he could run, sprint from here back to the café. The energy made his muscle tremble with excess of energy.

"Keiichiro! Get the sample please!" Ryou's angry cries snapped Keiichiro out of the trace-like state. He quickly labeled the vial and gently injected the animal. Keiichiro flicked a hazel bang out of his eyes that stayed focused on the vial that was filling with animal blood. The little orange ball of hair flinched at this, but kept a strong face on. It's tail flicked around, trying it's best to distract itself. Then, delicately, Keiichiro pulled out the needle and padded the injection site to allow the red blood cells to start clotting.

"Almost done, this is a delicate process," Keiichiro explained, and to his enlightenment, he pissed Ryou off more when he heard an irritated sigh. "What's wrong?" He asked the disgruntled teenager.

Ryou appeared next to Keiichiro in one second. On his shoulder was another ball of excitement packaged up in orange hair. It was furiously looking through Ryou's blonde hair for the non-existent lice inside. Its tail was wrapped around Ryou's upper arm for more support.

The three scientists were in hysterics at this sight, which only added to Ryou's displeasure.

"These damn monkeys are irritating!" Ryou said monkey calls filled the air, almost as in laughter, joining the scientists. Ryou snapped around to them as they swung around the roped that draped down from the metallic cage.

"They are Golden Lion Tamarins," Keiichiro corrected him as the little tamarin jumped up a thick rope.

"And I find them to be quite pleasant," He added.

"Well, I'm shit scared of their shit!" He hissed. As if on cue, a tamarin put his hand to the ground, Ryou flinched in fear only for the tamarin to scratch its back. "Never take me to the zoo ever again," Ryou whined out aloud.

"I'll make a note of it. You're much to old for it anyway" Keiichiro replied, half amused. He put the vial in its respective place. He peered inside the storage bag, all of the vial holders were full except one.

"One more left, but it should be enough," Keiichiro reported to the scientists. Ryou heaved a sigh of relief as the tamarin gave up and jumped off him.

"Now I smell like a monkey," He groaned as he made for the door.

"And you look like one too," Keiichiro added smiled as he left the enclosure.

"Ha Ha Ha," Ryou laughed apathetically and jumped out of the door as a brown substance, projected from the tamarin's direction, splattered all over the thick metal door. The five people froze in fear at the realisation that if they were a few seconds later, the feacal matter of monkeys would've been all over them.

"I fucking hate monkeys…" Ryou breathed. Keiichiro chuckled and ruffled Ryou's hair. Suzuki-san's walk-talkie starting emitting garbles voice. He picked it up and replied.

"Hello, Suzuki-san here," He replied to them.

"Let's go," Ryou smiled at then but pouted at the childish action that Keiichiro just performed.

"If you keep that up everyone will think that we are gay," Ryou whispered to him.

"Are you still going on about that?" Keiichiro asked with a eyebrow raised. Ryou sighed and rested his hands behind his head, his fingered interlaced and buried into his hair.

The three scientists huddled around the walkie talkie before erupting into loud cheers of happiness which made Ryou and Keiichiro slightly jump.

"Akasaka-san! Akasaka-san! Shirogane-san!" Suzuki-san yelled out and ran towards them as Ito-san and Miyagi-san took off in an opposite direction.

"What?" They both asked.

"Our program is successful! The female Irimote Yamaneko just gave birth to healthy kittens! Please come and see them!" He explained. Ryou froze in shock, this was unbelievable, Tokyo's program was successful! It has never bred in captivity before this. Never.

* * *

**Zoey Hoshi:** Geez! I got all this over and done with in one chapter! It's so long! However this means the Lettuce chapters and Mint chapters can be put together and focused on more. However this means we won't see Keiichiro and Ryou for a while

**Keiichiro:** I do not mind, I'll make some tea and read the paper while I wait.

**Ryou:** WHAT! But I'm one of the main protagonists! Main!

**Zoey Hoshi:** One of them, Ichigo is the focus of this. Anyway, as the series goes on you'll get a smaller part.

**Keiichiro:** Want some White Tea Zoey Hoshi-san?

**Zoey Hoshi:** Yes please, your such a gentleman, much more likable than Ryou =^.^=

**Keiichiro:** Oh now you're murdering his pride.


	3. A Heavy Heart

**Author's Note**: After the MASSIVE re-write of chapter 2, I have to update chapters 3-7 urgently! I might end up with less chapters or I might just put more into the gaps. This chapter isn't that different, more atmosphere and sadly, more depression for poor Lettuce. :(

**Note:** I am Australian, and we have alternative ways of spelling certain words from America. Eg. Mum/Mom, -ise/-ize etc.

I know it is a major pain to do this, but please leave comments/reviews etc. because it **really** does cheer me up, knowing that this story is actually read and liked by people. **Thank you and sorry for all this!**

* * *

**Chapter 3: A heavy heart**

The school bell echoed around a four-story junior high school building. Girls jumped up, the gray pleated skirt twirling around them, just showing off more of the black, thick stockings, to the boys' disappointment. As the girls chattered about the latest band the boys dug into their thick brown jackets to get warmth, their hands in their gray pant's pockets. The gray collar stuck out over the girls' brown jacket, the little red ribbon attached to the sailor collar stuck out against the dull colours of the school uniform. Slowly, the room was emptied, only leaving a studious boy in the top left hand corner and in the center of the room a panicking thirteen-year-old girl.

Her emerald green hair hung down hiding her face as she stared sightlessly at her fingers as they fumbled around. Two long, thin plaits trailed down her back to her tailbone. Her palms began to grow clammy and she swallowed hard. Her nerves tingled sickly as her stomach churned around, the acid burning at her stomach walls. She tried her best to ignore it and she picked up her books and placed them perfectly into her bag. She sat there, staring sightlessly again as her heart rate increased at the thought of standing up.

'I have to see them now… Or they will get mad again,' She thought, her lime-green eyes didn't burn with lively youth like the other girls in the year group. Her eyes were dull, sadness and anxiety shadowing her mind and grasping it in its cold grip.

The homeroom teacher was walking down the corridor and just happened to catch a glimpse of the girl, staring down at her bag emotionlessly. The young teacher walked up to the opened door and observed the girl before she walked into the room. The black haired boy down the back didn't even look up, the red-haired teacher gave a sigh when she found that he had white iPod earphones in. Today, she would let it slide for her main problem was Lettuce Midorikawa.

Lettuce didn't notice the person enter the room, she sighed and went to get up when her face almost came into contact with her homeroom teacher. Lettuce jumped backwards and let out an audible gasp. Surprise momentarily overpowered the dark shadows that loomed in her mind. Lettuce's large circular glasses started to slide down her nose, causing alarm to run up her back. She swiftly pushed them up her small nose, onto their proper position. The alarm subsided, along with the surprise, the dark clouds returning and dominating. She sighed as she adjusted her glasses, if they broke, then she would be as useless as a blind puppy.

"I'M SO SO SORRY AKASHI-SENSEI!" Lettuce yelled apologically, bowing deeply to her teacher. This act was normal however the degree of remorsefulness and the deep bow that lasted more than three seconds deeply disturbed Akashi-sensei.

"Why are you so sorry? You didn't even bump into me," Akashi-sensei asked the grief-stricken girl. Akashi-sensei sat down in the empty chair in front of Lettuce's desk.

Lettuce's heart began to thump erratically as her mind began to race with ideas.

'When a teacher does this, it usually means something serious… Right?' Lettuce thought. Lettuce could see there was something troubling the twenty-six year old woman in her dull blue-gray gaze.

"Well.." Lettuce started, "I could've have bumped into you and maybe hurt you," Lettuce told the teacher that was flicking crimson bangs out of her eyes, "And it would've been all my fault…" She trailed off, staring down at her fumbling, clammy hands. This was easily picked up by Akashi-sensei as an act of anxiety, or at least uncertainty.

"Midorikawa-san," She started to formulate an appropriate question for this topic, "Has something been bugging you?". Lettuce looked at the homeroom and math teacher with confusion.

"Do you mean with schoolwork? Or Maths? Because I know how to set up the decimal places on the calculator for significa-" Lettuce started blabbering before Akashi-sensei rose her hand, motioning for her to be quiet.

'Did I say something wrong?' Lettuce thought as bile boiled in her gut, 'I shouldn't have said that!' She mentally fretted, her palms becoming more and more damp and sweaty.

"Not that Lettuce… I'm not talk about that," Akashi-aensei told her, "You know every well what I am getting at," She finished, dropping her subtle approach. Lettuce gazed up at her with deep confusion and worry. Akashi-aensei had the feeling that she wouldn't get anywhere with this until a voice sounded from the doorway.

"Lettuce, there you are!" A female voice sounded, and with those few words, Lettuce was plunged into burning anxiety. Her fingers trembled as she glanced at the girl, her age, leaning against the door. Lettuce tried her best to move her muscles to make sure that she was still there, that her body was hers and that it wouldn't just collapse like a hollowed out chocolate egg.

The girl's jet-black hair was split in the middle of her forehead. Even from Lettuce's distance, you could tell that her hair had been bleached and dyed several times and that it was constantly straightened every morning before school. Her face was sunken in and her gray goldfish-like eyes were marked with heavy eyeliner and mascara. Her face was covered in heavy foundation, hiding any blemishes on her skin. Her hair ended at her skinny shoulders, which were tightly and only just covered by a flimsy, thin brown jacket that should belong to a much younger girl. By the unnatural bump, Akashi-sensei could tell that the girl must be wearing massive chicken fillets in a push-up bra to make herself more 'attractive' alas, she looked more like jailbait the way it stretched the school uniform. The ribbon at the end of the sailor collar wasn't tied up, just dangling down her jacket. She had her right leg resting against the wall, making her breaking school rule length skirt ride up her leg, showing off more of her lanky legs.

"What the hell are you still doing here? Come on let's go!" She sneered harshly at Lettuce. Lettuce shrunk back at her tone, her eyes fluttered down at her trembling hand and then back up at Akashi-sensei. Lettuce's abdominal muscles began to contract little by little, giving a horrible sensation through her body. Lettuce's dry mouth began to start overflowing with saliva. She swallowed it hard before her mouth began move.

"I can't Abe-san…" She stuttered. Abe-san's expression hardened as she looked at Lettuce before her chest heaved as she let out a breath, almost a sigh of mockery. Lettuce's blood rushed around rapidity as Abe-san went to open her mouth to let out an oral beating to the terrified Lettuce who's body began to tremble. This is all Akashi-sensei needed.

Akashi-sensei stood up, her limbs frozen like stone however not out of fear like Lettuce but out of anger. She spun around to face the shocked Abe-san who didn't notice the teacher. Akashi-sensei glared at the bully and inhaled deeply.

"Midorikawa-san and I are discussing something that has nothing to do with you! Leave us alone! That is no way to talk to a fellow peer! So get out of her before I kick you out of education system!" She yelled at Abe-san who flinched at the words however she quickly recovered.

"You can't do that for another few years anyway," She smugly stated. Akashi-sensei kept the glare at Abe-san, not replying to the statement. No matter how much Abe-san enraged her, that was true. They couldn't do that until the end of next year. Abe-san rolled her eyes and walked away, half smug at the fact that she half-won that battle with Akashi-sensei.

She kept her stance until Abe-san had been out of site of a while. It was a silent few seconds and then she let out a sigh and slumped her shoulders and collapsed onto the chair. Lettuce looked at her teacher in blank-like type of amazement.

"That is what I'm talking about Midorikawa-san, Abe-san, Yamaro-san and Jibae-san," She said to Lettuce, "They are bullying you right? So why do you hang around them still? This could be impacting badly on your mental and psychical health," Akashi-sensei finished and looked at the distressed girl.

Lettuce's mind was jumbled in a dark, cold haze that shook her whole body.

"If there is any problems with them, all you have to do is tell me or any other teacher and just stay clear of them," Akashi-sensei added.

'Is sensei worried about me?' Lettuce thought as she looked at the teacher. Her heartbeat gave off a happy gleam of light as she realised this. Lettuce stood up and bowed to her teacher.

"I'm sorry sensei however thank you for worrying about me but I am fine," Lettuce lied at the latter though. She took a deep breath to control her body's trembling and pulled on her best acting as she looked back at the teacher.

'She won't say anything… They are already controlled her mind into what to say and think,' Akashi-sensei thought and sighed. She stood up and placed her hand onto Lettuce's shoulder. Lettuce's eyes widened at this, she hadn't felt such a caring and gentle action at school for a long period of time. Lettuce felt that small thump of happiness as she saw the gentleness and caring emotion reflected in Akashi-sensei's eyes.

"You look tired, don't work to hard," She said before she walked out of the room and walked to the teacher's staff room.

'Sensei… Why were you worried about me?' Lettuce thought as she put her bag beside her desk and walked to where Abe-san would be waiting for her. Her legs felt numb as she half-staggered to the room, people blurred passed her, in their own happy world.

'I wish I could tell sensei but I can't go back anymore… I can't turn around. Abe-san, Jibae-san and Yamaro-san may all bully me, but they do hang around me… so one day they might be friends…' Lettuce pondered as she entered the classroom of Abe-san.

* * *

The classroom was filled with endless chatter of girls and boys. As Lettuce walked passed the groups, she could distorted bits of their conversations. Celebrity gossip, skateboards, make-up and fashion, relationships, and of course, all the things that boys look up on the internet and when that happens the box of tissues disappear from the coffee table…

'I couldn't fit into any of these conversations, the latter topic, I simply do not do that, end of conversation, I don't read girl magazines that give out advice about sexuality and stories of male actors that spend most of there time shirtless. I don't even know how to apply make up on my face, I don't know the difference between eyeliner and mascara, nor do I see why it is necessary to plaster it on my face everyday. I don't buy what celebrities wear, I wear what is given to me or I think is nice…' Lettuce thought as her sights rested on the group of three girls that had 'taken in' Lettuce as if she was a stray puppy although a puppy would be treated with more compassion.

"Lettuce, you're finally here!" Abe-san called out and pointed to Lettuce's seat opposite her and next to Jibae-san who left her plate of food untouched. She just played with the fork with her pale and bony fingers. She looked at Lettuce and her thin lips turned into a smile, it was nice on the surface but deep down, it was a twisted smile. She had a red plastic hair-band, that you would find in a 100 yen shop, that pulled back her thick honey blonde hair that no matter how much she straightened it, it was still wavy and frizzy. Her face was sunken up and her bones were starting to show more and more and her skin had a sickly pale tone to it. Everyday it shocked Lettuce more and more as her psychical health drained away.

Next to Abe-san was Yamaro-san who was staring off into the distance, not even noticing Lettuce. Her thin red hair covered half of her face, only showing one of her dull, dark green eyes that were heavily outlined by dark eyeliner and mascara. She snapped out of her trace and just glanced at Lettuce.

Lettuce swallowed hard and sat down, hiding her trembling fingers in her lap.

"Yuri, you look amazing!" Yamaro-san said, noticing how Jibae-san refused to eat.

"Yes, I've lost weight already, the diet is really working!" She exclaimed.

'Is anorexia a diet now? I can't remember last time she ate.' Lettuce thought hopelessly.

"So Lettuce why was lesbo-sensei talking to you?" Abe-san asked Lettuce who froze at the horrible name she had given to Akashi-sensei.

"But.. Doesn't sensei have a husband?" Lettuce piped up, she realised to late that she was defending her homeroom teacher against Abe-san. However, lucky for her, Abe-san just skimmed over it.

"Just to hide her true colours," Abe-san bluntly stated.

"She is probably a lesbian because she is so tight Aya!" Yamaro-san laughed.

'How can they talk about someone's sexuality like this?' Lettuce thought, and she tried to keep her composure but it made her sick to hear them talk about Akashi-sensei like this after the act of kindness she had shown Lettuce.

"I hope she wasn't talking about us," Abe-san dropped the subtle comment, her thin eyebrows raised.

"Or," Jibae-san added, "Are you blabbing off about us?" She sneered at Lettuce who began to sweat and her heart pounded in fear and anxiety.

"We haven't done anything bad to you at all Lettuce, right?" Yamaro-san stated. Lettuce's breath was getting shorter as her insides tightened and contracted.

"N-no! I just, just asked sensei for some help with maths…" She lied to them, praying that they would buy the story, "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have waited around to ask her," She bowed her head to them.

"Oh okay, sorry for that Lettuce, just it would hurt us if you were to go behind our backs," Jibae-san apologised but it sounded lazy and so unsympathetic.

"It's actually good that you understand what we learned today," Abe-san added and then dropped her maths book on the table in front of Lettuce, "Because I don't understand at all, could you do my homework?" Even though she asked, there was no way to say no, because it sounded more like a command. "If you do it," She noticed Lettuce hesitating to get the book, "I'll forgive you for talking to sensei," She added.

"I will too, if you do mine," Jibae-san added, "And while you're at it, do Rika's as well," She said nodding her head to Yamaro-san. Lettuce looked at all of them, her dejected lime green eyes sweeping over them.

"Okay…" She replied to them and picked up Abe-san's book.

"My book is in my bag in my home-room, could you please get it for me?" Jibae-san added.

"Okay," Lettuce answered weakly, she trembled as she stood up to walk off. However, she felt lighter that she was able to avoid any real confrontation.

"Oh Lettuce," Abe-san added, her leg slinking towards Lettuce's. She gave a little glance to Jibae-san, a cue of sorts that Lettuce missed. Jibae-san's leg snaked behind Lettuce's ankles.

"Be careful not to trip, you are prone to clumsiness right?" She warned Lettuce who was confused at this statement however she nodded her head and turned around.

In an instant, a force pushed on the behind of Lettuce's knees and a solid object came into contact with her ankles. The shift in Lettuce's weight worked with gravity and along with the little throb of pain at her ankles, she began to fall over.

Lettuce's glasses slid down her nose, she let out a helpless gasp as they fell to the ground with an audible crack that echoed in her mind. Her vision was plunged into short-sightedness, the classroom fogging and blurring around her as field of vision was warped. Her clear, pristine vision was ripped from her and everything became foreign and unknown. Her hands brushed on top of a desk and knocked over a bottle of milk that sat on top of it. Her body slammed into the edge said desk, making a loud thump that made every spin around to witness Lettuce's top half of her body slam into a boy's desk. The weight of her body made the desk slide forward, taking the body's lunch and milk with it.

"What the hell!" The boy yelled and jumped out of the way and let Lettuce's body fall to the ground. Pain burned and seared in Lettuce's stomach, it felt as if demons were digging their sharp claws into her stomach walls and with all of their force, dragging it through her flesh. Pain crawled and swarmed around her ribcage and throbbed in her developing breasts. The side of her cheek was alight with dull pain as milk dribbled through her jade hair and down the bridge of her nose and her cheekbones. It seeped into her brown jacket and black stockings, only adding to the miserable feeling. Lettuce could hear students in the room either laughing or in shock at what they had witnessed.

"What the hell is your problem? My lunch is all over you!" The boy hissed at her.

"Hey, dude, I thought you would like to eat up a girl," One of his friends jeered. Lettuce sat up and looked back at the blurred image of Jibae-san and Abe-san who shrugged at her.

"Oops!" Abe-san said in a bitchy way.

'They tripped me? They really did do that…' Lettuce realised as her body rocked with humiliation and pain. Lettuce stood up and made her way for the door. A few girls and boys jumped up towards Lettuce.

"Are you okay?"

"What happened?" Their voices sounded but Lettuce just walked by their unrecognisable faces. The milk continued to drip down her chin, its watery texture and smell only disgusted Lettuce. Her body began to hiccup violently as she walked down the empty hallway. She searched for the bathroom however everything looked identical, it just felt as if she was walking down a repeating and endless corridor. Her body trembled and shook violently as panic began to swirl in her gut.

'What if I disappeared today… Except for my family… Who would care?' Lettuce thought. She shivered at the thought of facing the three girls again. Her hiccups got worse and her lower body muscles began to contract more violently and her diaphragm joined this action. Lettuce froze at this and slapped a hand over her mouth. She ran forward, looking for the bathroom or at least a bin.

'Anywhere but in the hall… Anywhere!' She thought to herself as intense pressure began to form in her stomach caused by massive shifting of her muscles. The pain in her body was overpowered by the horrid pressure in her stomach, making Lettuce feel as if she would combust with pain. Pain stirred in her body as she searched for a bin in her poor vision however when her sphincter relaxed, her body wanting to expel the pain and pressure. Her mouth filled with saliva to protect her teeth from the putrid gastric acids. Lettuce collapsed to the ground, the pain of falling to her knees didn't even register in her mind as she threw up her stomach's contents. Her muscles contracted painfully as they pushed up the gastric contents of her digestive track and they spilled over the titled floor.

"MIDORIKAWA-SAN!" Akashi's worried tone sounded. As Lettuce heaved up the last bit of her stomach's contents she looked up at the teacher in front of her. Her body rocked and shook with pain from the fall, from the contracted muscles and her pride and self-esteem.

As if a large, demented demon had materalised out of a dark alleyway and seized Lettuce's esteem by its ankle. The grasp of the demon was so brutal that it bruised the muscles and cracked the bones as he dragged it into the shadows. With a cruel action, using a large butcher knife to stab and shred her esteem only to leave it in a pool of blood, crying in agony and ripping all hope from it… Lettuce's self-esteem was quickly disappearing and Akashi-sensei could clearly see this.

"I'm so sorry," Lettuce croaked to the person in front of her as her body released endorphins into her blood as the pressure disappeared, in an attempt to make her trembling body feel better. She collapsed on her side as Akashi-sensei screamed out for help and ran to her side.

"How did this happen? In such a short amount of time!" She desperately asked Lettuce.

"I'm sorry…" Lettuce panted as her body gave into its exhaustion and she feel into nothingness. Lettuce embraced it as she fell asleep.

* * *

**Zoey Hoshi:** I feel so bad because I keep making Lettuce upset, but I'll hopefully be able to get her happier sooner now! Also for an image of my OC Cecilia Akashi-sensei, please visit my Deviantart account - zoeyhoshi (dot) deviantart (dot) com


	4. Someday, you will smile again!

**Author's Note**: Yet, another big re-write of this chapter, melding chapters 4 and 9 together to resolve Lettuce's depression sickness in this chapter due to the Ryou getting the Ultramarine Lorikeet's DNA happened 2 chapters ago instead of half of this chapter!

It personally annoyed me that Lettuce's parents kept telling her the whole "Believe in yourself and they will become your friends one day crap,". Bullying, no matter how bad has serious impacts on the child's mental thinking and health. Parents wouldn't sit there think "Oh it's just a phase, they'll be your friends!", they would be taking action and saying "Stay away from them!". So that is a change from the Anime.

**Note:** I am Australian, and we have alternative ways of spelling certain words from America. Eg. Mum/Mom, -ise/-ize etc.

I know it is a major pain to do this, but please leave comments/reviews etc. because it **really** does cheer me up, knowing that this story is actually read and liked by people. **Thank you and sorry for all this!**

* * *

**Chapter 4: Someday, you will smile again**

"Lettuce, Lettuce, please wake up," A calming, worried voice sounded, stirring Lettuce from the cold darkness as she woke up. She flashed open her eyes, which of course was a bad idea. The blurred vision of her surroundings flew into her green eyes. Everything was too bright and it racked her brain.

'I feel like a newborn pup, Where is my mother?' Lettuce thought helplessly.

"Mum," Lettuce croaked, her mouth was dry and her breath was thick with the smell of vomit. A dried layer of vomit was stuck to inside of her cheeks and around her tongue.

"I'm here Lettuce," Just the sound of her voice calmed Lettuce down, "Where are your glasses?" She asked her daughter.

"My... my glasses broke," She replied, just faintly make out her mother's outline.

"Open your eyes," Lettuce's mother told her. Lettuce followed her mother's orders and could feel contacts side onto place. Lettuce hated the feeling of them being put in, however she welcomed the pristine vision that it gave her.

Lettuce looked around and found herself sitting in the bathroom. The large heat lamp shone down through the steam that filled the room, adding to the soft warmth of the room. Lettuce was still in her dirty uniform, the milk had set in, giving a horrible smell to her brown jacket and Lettuce could swear that her whole body smelt of vomit. Beside her was her mother, her light brown eyes were full of concern as she looked over her daughter. Lettuce's mother tried her best to prevent her eyes from tearing up.

'My daughter is safe now! That's all that matters,' She told herself.

Lettuce was very confused, she couldn't even remember what happened after seeing Akashi-sensei. She was sitting in the washing area, the showerhead behind her mother and long drain sat along the wall. Lettuce could see that the steam was originating from the bath in the far corner, its wonderful heat incited her to jump into it straight away but she wanted to wash away the horrible smell and feeling that covered her.

"How did I get here?" Lettuce asked her mother.

"Akashi-sensei brought you here. You were in a deep sleep, your body must have gone under a lot of stress and energy for you to vomit up your whole stomach, there was even bile along with it," My mother explained to me.

'Thank you sensei,' Lettuce thought.

"Lettuce why didn't you tell me you had bullying problems at school?" Lettuce flinched at this, but she knew that Akashi-sensei would have told her mother everything. Her mother's tone was mixed with anger yet concern, her feelings confused as they clashed together.

"They have problems so they take it out on me," Lettuce said, "They aren't bullying me, they just have a lot on their minds,".

"Lettuce, Akashi-sensei said they tripped you over, make you do their homework, humiliate you… They aren't friends! Stop believing your father's ideals!" She pleaded to Lettuce, who suffered flashbacks as she listed what happened today. Lettuce shook her head at her mother, who sighed at her daughter's stubbornness.

"You're father was bullied but he eventually made friends out of one of them, however he is a boy, girl bullies are very different!" Lettuce's mother explained, "I was bullied because when I was your age I had massive 'grandpa' glasses and I wasn't attractive. They didn't stop bullying me and I felt miserable but then, I got friends that stood up for me," She told Lettuce, "You need friends like that Lettuce, a friend helps you up and fixes you up, not laughs at you and teases you," Lettuce glanced away at this and sighed.

"Lettuce, you're lucky if you have one true friend in this world," She started, Lettuce looking back at her, "However, with confidence and courage, they are easily found," She summed up. Lettuce glanced down at the ground, trying to figure out what it meant.

"Okay, you better wash up and just put your clothes in the laundry basket," Lettuce's mother said, she flicked her long single plait over her shoulder. It almost looked like a thick vine with its dark jungle green colour. She smiled at her daughter and reached out with her hand to help Lettuce up. Lettuce took her hand and felt the gentle, caring warmth that Akashi-sensei had earlier today, which shocked her.

"I'm home!" A little boy's voice sounded from downstairs.

"Is it already that late?" Lettuce asked her mother, she nodded in reply.

"Just rest tonight, you're staying home tomorrow," Her mother said before she walked out of the bathroom to greet Lettuce's little brother. Lettuce sighed and took off her uniform, however the milk smell still lingered on her body.

"What! Lettuce was hurt!" Lettuce heard her little brother exclaim. Lettuce sighed, not wanting to explain this to the hyperactive ten-year-old. She sat down on the wooden stool and turned on the showerhead. The warm water poured onto her head and she untied her milk-clumped hair. She furiously worked the water through her hair, desperate to get the milk out when the door slammed open.

"Onee-chan!" Her little brother stood naked in the doorway, holding a towel. Lettuce curled up, covering her breasts and turned her head around to look at him. She had to prevent herself from comically face falling, "Let me help you wash your back!" He pleaded. He was quite short for his age, only reaching above Lettuce's waist. He had darker skin, inherited from their father, or one of the only things inherited from their father.

'It must be bad on his self-esteem that his wife has more dominate genes then his,' Lettuce thought quickly to herself. He had a pudgy face, as all little kids do and puppy-like brown eyes.

Lettuce blushed with embarrassment as she remembered her brother's innocent questions after she refused to have baths with him when we got into junior high school.

'I'm leaving the puberty talk and the birds and bees talk to my parents, that responsibility and burden isn't mine.' Lettuce thought to herself. Her brother's face began to drop, fearing Lettuce saying no, however, Lettuce took a deep breath and sighed.

"Thank you Uri, I think it'll be nice if someone could help me wash my hair," She told him, giving up on her self-esteem that was already badly butchered and his face lit up.

'As long as sit here it is okay,' Lettuce thought to herself, 'At least this way, he isn't seeing my body from the front,'. Uri dragged another stool over and sat down behind Lettuce. He got a big pink, plastic bucket and went to the second showerhead beside Lettuce. Alarm ran up her spine as he started to walk to her side. In a swift motion, she gently snatched the bucket from him before he did.

"I.. I'll get that Uri!" Lettuce stammered, Uri however saw nothing odd about it.

"Okay! Thanks Onee-chan!" He said and sat down behind her. Lettuce let out a sigh of relief as filled the bucket with water and passed it to Uri. He squeezed out a large amount of shampoo and started on Lettuce's hair. Lettuce had to admit that it felt nice for someone else to wash her hair for her. She then noticed that Uri was humming a tune to himself and it sounded somewhat nostalgic, creating a warm fuzzy feeling in her heart. Her jade-eyes followed the ocean-like pattern of the titles as she tried to search for the song's lyrics and name.

"Uri, what's that song?" She finally gave in and asked him.

"True Blue," He said. With that memories flashed in Lettuce's mind of the music video on television. She could remember running home and throwing her bag on the floor and dancing along to it.

"I remember it!" She exclaimed, "I'm surprised you know it, it's pretty old now,"

"It's the opening to a show on T.V," He said before he went back to humming.

"Itsumo kimi no soba ni iru you, dakara mou hitori janai*," I sung along with his humming. Then Lettuce realised that she had totally forgotten what had happened today and she was smiling.

'How is that? I was so miserable before…' She pondered. It had been completely washed away, as if Uri's small hands that were running through her hair was ridding her of pain. That and musing over a little nostalgic song.

'Is it because I'm having fun?' Lettuce thought, a little thought popped into her head, 'I'm having fun with my little brother in the bathroom… It sounds like a title to one of the boys 'videos',' She thought to herself.

"Water!" Uri said, snapping Lettuce out of her pondering as warm water was splashed over her back and the crown of her shampoo filled hair. The sensation made Lettuce jump but relaxed at the same time.

"I need more warning than that!" She yelped, Uri just laughed at her as the shampoo rinsed out of her drenched hair.

"You're fault, you were spacing out," Uri replied as he pulled out the conditioner for her hair. He massaged it into her ends, finally replacing the smell of milk and vomit with the smell of coconuts and the ocean.

'Was this the kind of friendship that mum was talking about?' Lettuce thought to herself, 'a friend that will help me in need and laugh with me?' She looked at the wall and sighed, 'Where will I find them?'

Uri dumped water over her head, without warning again. This broke Lettuce's train of thought, but instead of yelping like before, or feeling irritation she felt her eyes water. Her breathing became short as she started to sniff and sob, salt tears running down her cheeks with the rinsed conditioner and water.

"Gee, I'm so sorry Onee-chan," Uri said, extremely confused at why his big sister was crying.

"Sorry Uri, I'm not crying because of you," I told him.

"Is it at the bullies? They made me mad!" he said childishly, causing Lettuce to giggle a little.

"Don't get mad over that," Lettuce told him and sighed, trying to stop her tears.

"Onee-chan you should hop in the bath to relax, you are sick after all," Uri told her. Lettuce nodded but then realised her minor dilemma.

'How do I get to the bath without him seeing my body?' Lettuce thought, there was only one course of action.

"Uri, please close your eyes," She asked the confused boy.

"Why Onee-ch-"

"Please close your eyes!" Lettuce pleaded and he squeezed his eyes closed. Lettuce carefully jumped up and walked to the bath. The hot water felt nice on her sore skin, soothing the strained muscles and allowing them to relax. Lettuce let out a sigh, and glanced over at Uri who still had his eyes closed tightly.

"You can open your eyes now," She told him as she sunk into the water more, so it was around her closed lips. Uri opened his eyes and continued washing while singing True Blue. The water encased Lettuce, sending the warmth into every cell and tissue. This calmed Lettuce down a lot yet her mind was a buzz with thoughts.

'Abe-san, Yamaro-san and Jibae-san won't forget this. Plus, they would make sure that no one would forget it for quite a while,' Lettuce thought realistically, she closed her eyes and tried her best to suppress a tremble, not from being cold but from the fear that stirred like a brewing storm in her heart.

'_Lettuce, you're lucky if you have one true friend in this world,_' Lettuce remembered her mother's words, 'But will I have that luck?' She thought and she sat still in the warmth enjoying it before she had to get out.

"Lettuce, can I get in the bath now?" Uri asked but there was no answer from his big sister. He turned around to find her whole body underwater, her breath bubbling up to the surface. Panic exploded in his stomach, pumping adrenaline into his blood. He jumped up and ran to his sister's side, who had slipped unconscious. He grabbed her shoulders and he strained his small, undeveloped muscles to pull her out of the hot water.

"Mum! Mum!" He called out to her urgently and he looked down at his sister. Thankfully she breathing, Uri's panic started to calm down and reside as he noticed this. He however noticed something else.

'Lettuce looks like mum now,' He thought to himself, confused at this change for a second before calling out for help again.

* * *

A black haired, middle-aged man slunk into his teenage daughter's room. The light poured into the room, sending streaks of light on the thick, teddy-bear themed quilt. Under the quilt a body stirred, the man flinched faintly at this, as if silently cursing himself. Lettuce's jade hair rose from the quilt and pillows, her sleepy gaze rested on her father's caring gray blue gaze.

"Dad.." She murmured, her voice cracked after all the stress she had been through today, as her father quietly walked into her room and sat down on the edge of her bed.

"Lettuce, I heard about what happened today from Cecilia-Sensei," He muttered softly, that was all he had to say. Lettuce looked into her darkened room as her eyes struggled to adjust to the darkness without her glasses and contacts. Her father watched her with sympathetic eyes as the hold of sleep let go of Lettuce. She pushed herself up with her arms into an upright sitting position in her bed.

"Akashi-sensei did?" Lettuce asked, "I can't really remember that much," Lettuce said aloud, avoiding eye-contact with her father, "I just remember pain, unbearable pain," She stopped as her throat contracted, she breathed silently to stop her emotions overflowing. She then continued as her father watched her, "I remember Uri and the warmth but hopelessness…". She then remembered the darkness that she fell into when she was in the bath.

"I fainted didn't I?" She gasped aloud, her father nodded.

"Uri pulled you out of trouble and called for mum," He explained, "Mum put you in bed when she determined that you're body just went into a fetus-like state,".

"Fetus-like?" Lettuce murmured back.

"When you're in the womb, you are always at a warm temperature and surrounded by water and a bath imitates this. Since you were the safest you'll ever feel in the womb, you fall into that state again but since you cannot breath underwater any more, people tend to unfortunately drown," he clarified.

"Is Uri okay?" Lettuce asked after a slight pause in conversation.

"He only just finally fell asleep, he was crying his poor little heart out when you wouldn't wake up," Her father told her. Lettuce flinched at this, imagining the poor situation that her brother must had been in that day. Uri desperately to keep her head above water, the continuous fear pulsating throughout his veins as he watched helplessly at her unconscious sister…

"Is it that late already?" Lettuce asked and just noticed at night had fallen. Then a thought snapped into her mind.

'Wait, for him to keep my head above water, then he would have to stand next to the bath and hold me up. That means that…' Lettuce thought and the rest of the words rung like bells, '…He saw me naked…'. Lettuce's heart fluttered and pounded as embarrassment filled her body from her fingertips to her toes. She slapped her hands on her face in an attempt to hide her face that was rapidly turning into a cherry red colour of embarrassment.

'What do I say to him?' She started to freak out but then remembered that her father was present and he was starting at her with a puzzled look with one thick eyebrow raised.

"Oh.. Umm, I just realised that…" She stuttered in her words, "That Uri must have seen me…," Her father continued to stare at her confused but he let it go after a while. There was a long pause as her father thought and pondered.

"You know, I read many stories and watch many films that my students and I have to breakdown," He began, "And one thing I hate, in any novel or film is the cardboard cut-out bully,".

Lettuce looked up at him confused at this, he smiled at her, turning into his teacher mode and he continued.

"Lettuce, you know the bullies that are made of nothing but bitter husks that protect a ball of utter hatred? Or bullies that are only an obstacle of the protagonist to leap over? The bullies that are only devices for the plot to move forward?" He asked the teenager who just continued to stare at her father, "They do not exist, there is no such thing as that,".

"What do you mean?" Lettuce thought, confused how this fit into the conversation.

"I mean that bullying is just a wall they create to hide their true self. They may seem like horrible people but they are normal people but with a problem," He explained, "I often see it in the school I teach and I have pinpointed the reasons to three main reasons," He told her and held up three fingers to her. Lettuce watched her father curious.

"They either want power, just power over someone or something. This is normal due to they have none at home due to siblings or parents. Number two, they are insecure about themselves, so by bullying someone they feel better about themselves. The third reason, and sadly the main reason, to become popular within the school and this sadly works. Teasing and bullying grabs attention of the peers in the school, of course, if they have the right composition, the teasing will spread and the bully will become popular," He explained.

"Why tell me this?" Lettuce asked her father. Her father blinked at her words, he looked up at the ceiling as he pondered, "Everyone is just telling me to avoid them," She said, "Why aren't you doing that too?"

"Well, you want to befriend them right? Maybe if you understand the their point of view and problems…" He smiled while scratching his chin, "I always told you that kindness pays off in the end because love conquers all. I get call naive for believing that phrase but it is true, basically long story short, if you can figure out why they bully you then maybe you can get through to them," He finished explaining, "But I'm not forcing anything on you, it is your life so your choices,".

He glanced into his daughter's room. Her shelves were full of books and hand-stitched dolls, ranging from little rabbits to large teddy bears and cute aliens.

"You should get back into making your dolls," He stated as he glanced at the sowing box that had been untouched for months, or maybe a year.

"I've had no real muse for making them since I entered junior high," Lettuce confessed to her father.

"It's a pity, but you should try, it might lift your spirits," He said and lightly patted her leg that was buried under layers of blankets.

"But I can't start, I just ca-,"

"See it like this," He said turning more to face his poor daughter, "I read an article of a famous dress-maker and clothes designer and he stated that he created clothes because it couldn't live without him," He said, Lettuce's mind froze with confusion.

"Can't live without him?" She echoed trying to piece it together.

"He lived a lonely life and he found that creating clothes, original clothes was like giving birth to a child. It is unique, no one else has created such a thing like it and this thing could not have come into this world if not for him." He explained reciting the article that he had read.

"So… my dolls are born when I make them, only I can make them so only I can bring them to life, into existence and it depends on me," Lettuce stated as she glanced at her dolls, "I never thought of it like that…".

Her father then scooted closer to her and wrapped his large arms around his fragile daughter. The hug came as a surprise to Lettuce but she let herself be overcome by the instant feeling of safety. Her father squeezed his growing daughter awkwardly before he stood back up and watched over Lettuce.

"Eizaburou-san," Lettuce's mother's voice sounded from their bedroom.

"I'm coming Yomogi," Lettuce's father called out to her mother in a soft tone.

"Anyway, back to sleep," He instructed and Lettuce slunk down under the covers. Her father tucked her in with delicate movements, as if he was tucking in his newborn child. A warm feeling of tenderness overcame Lettuce at her father's caring actions. He looked around before whispering to lettuce.

"Don't tell your mother about my little speech, she doesn't like them every much," He chuckled and Lettuce nodded her head.

'No matter what age you are, you fall hopelessly into the refuge that your parents create,' Lettuce thought as her father made for the door.

"Goodnight Lettuce," He added with affection.

"Goodnight Dad," She replied as he opened the door and he stepped out, leaving Lettuce alone. Her eyes just stared sightlessly as her mind pondered at what her father had told her.

'Do they really bully me?' She rolled over onto her side, trying to let sleep overcome her. 'They take out their frustration out on me… Is that bullying?' She thought about the three girls and what her father had told her.

'Jibae-san is worried about her body image... So by putting me down, she feel better. Yamaro-san seems troubled so she might feel better when she is around me,' Lettuce thought, however, she couldn't think of anything for Abe-san, 'But it means they aren't bad people so if I try hard I might get through to them and comfort them…' Lettuce thought

However, sleep over came her after pondering and wondering about the three turned into a swirl of darkness.

* * *

**Zoey Hoshi:** Woot! Lettuce's introduction is finished and I ended on a bitter-sweet note for her! Now, I'm off to Ichigo and the start of her relationship with Masaya!

**Ryou:** You better join us on the 'unimportant til further notice group'.

**Zoey Hoshi:** Come on! You'll get a whole chapter again to yourself soon..ish


	5. First Experiences

**Author's Note**: More massive re-writing! Since I scrapped the whole 'I'm not good enough for him,' subplot, I was wondering what to do instead of that. Then I thought, 'Well it is now an M rated fanfiction… We need a taste of lemons don't we!'.

I also realised that the whole 'Moe picking on Ichigo' is such an Australian thing to do! Sorry about that! In the Anime, I love Miwa and Moe as supporting characters! They are such caring friends and do anything to further Ichigo and Masaya's relationship (in any shape or form) so I HAD to include them!

**Note:** I am Australian, and we have alternative ways of spelling certain words from America. Eg. Mum/Mom, -ise/-ize etc.

I know it is a major pain to do this, but please leave comments/reviews etc. because it **really** does cheer me up, knowing that this story is actually read and liked by people. **Thank you and sorry for all this!**

**Rapping Condom* - Wrappy the Condom **(I'm serious, that does exist and if you go my high school you are forced to watch it)

* * *

**Chapter 5: First Experiences**

The teacher up the front shifted uncomfortably as he wrote the title of the topic of the class's P.E theory lesson on the board. The class stared at the blackboard, half of them snickering with mischief and other's blushing with embarrassment.

Miwa and Ichigo happened to be two of them as the gawked at the blackboard. Everyone knew that is was coming ever since they got out of primary school. The fated lesson that everyone as faced.

Safe Sex Education.

Ichigo let out a little squeak as her heart thudded rapidly. Miwa reframed from making any noise but a small blush appeared on her cheeks. The teacher sighed and turned on the projector that was attached to the laptop and began playing a DVD and as the room darkened, it filled up with whispering.

"A video? We are watching a video? Of what?" Ichigo whispered to Miwa.

"I think it's a cartoon," Miwa said, "I think my sister said they watched a movie in P.E and it was a cartoon thing, pretty much explaining what we already know," She told Ichigo, who sighed in relief.

"Scared you were gonna be watching something dirty?" Moe piped in, causing Miwa to laugh.

"No, I just don't wanna hear a fat, old man tell me about condoms and the pill," Miwa said, "That would be freaky,".

"Well, what about you Ichigo? Disappointed it isn't a dirty movie?" Moe asked Ichigo jokingly, who was recovering from her latest breakout of blushing.

"No! I'm thankful that it isn't!" Ichigo threw back to her friend.

"Your lying, I betcha wanted to get some ideas for your daydreams with Aoyama-kun," Moe replied and at the mention of his name with the context of 'dirty daydreams' Ichigo's heart pounded and throbbed as a blush broke out across her face yet again. Moe and Miwa laughed at Ichigo's reaction before patting her on the back to calm her down.

"Sorry, just your so adorably innocent it's hard not to tease you!" Moe and Miwa said and hugged her.

"Please be quiet!" The teacher commanded and the class quieted down as the video began to play. The portion of the class let out a sigh as badly drawn characters filled the screen, not real people and most students tuned out and started to draw in their books or passing note to their friends.

The teacher in his mid forties didn't try to stop them. To him, this was the last class of the day before he could finally knock off. He pulled a stack of papers and started on it to try and reduce the amount of his work for the week. Ichigo zoned out and looked around the classroom, thinking about her homework and what to do that evening. She felt a slight tap on her shoulder and the sound of crinkling paper. Moe passed a note and Ichigo pulled a pen to respond to her.

'The Kendo Team has practice after this, so you better have everything packed up so we can get there quickly after class,' Moe had written.

'I will, thanks! =^o^=,' Ichigo wrote back and started to quietly put her books away. Then the yellow piece of paper appeared again on her desk.

'If you go around the back you might find Aoyama-kun, try and talk to him if you can! :P,' Ichigo heart fluttered at this, imagining seeing those hazel, puppy-like eyes staring at her. Her heart pounded with excitement of seeing him alone but she shook it off and wrote back.

'I couldn't do that! I would be too nervous! What would I say? :S'

'Just glitter your eyes at him and ask him out! It would be hard for him to avoid your cute charm!'

'This isn't pokemon were are talking about here, I would be TOO EMBARRASSED!' Ichigo threw the paper back at her and focused on the video that she was supposed to be watching. She didn't watch much before Moe threw the paper on her desk again.

'Come on! He likes animals, go to the zoo or something!'

'Moe, I couldn't do that! I wouldn't have the confidence!' Ichigo passed it back to Moe and made a face, telling her it was the end of the conversation. However it was wasted on Moe who began to furiously write on paper. Miwa watched Moe, amazed at how fast she could write and peered over at what she was writing and immediately knew it was meant for Ichigo.

"What exactly is that?" She whispered.

"Ichigo wanted confidence, I'll give her confidence!" Moe mischievous explained and threw the note at Ichigo and lazied back to watch her reaction unfold. Ichigo sighed as the note fell on the desk. She unravelled the note and began to read it.

'Just imagine, you would spend a WHOLE day with A-O-YA-MA-KU-N!' Ichigo mentally jumped with joy at the thought of that, 'All to yourself! His hazel eyes that burn into your soul, they melt your inner core and bubble up in your heart as warmth and kindness,' Ichigo's pulse increased as she found herself sucked into Moe's words. She could feel a warm feeling boiling and bubbling in her heart and body, warming up her core. She had never felt such a feeling before, it was bewitching and inciting her to read on. 'His raven hair glimmering in the sunlight, his perfect bangs covering his tanned forehead. His smile would be for you and you only!' Ichigo sighed at the thought of that.

'All to myself… That perfect smile, I could die happy if he smiled at me,' Ichigo thought as she was sucked in her daydream that Moe was painting for her.

'You would hear his voice all day, he would be only talking to you. Yeah, It would be about school, or animals but he would ask to know more about you. The more he finds out the more he'll get hooked on you!" Ichigo's eyes widened at this and she took a deep breath in and turned to looked at Moe.

'Your using your fanfiction skills aren't you?' Ichigo asked Moe who just smiled.

"Keep reading or would you rather watch a video with a rapping condom*?" She asked, pointing to the ridiculous video that the class was now laughing at. Ichigo pouted, know that Moe knew what Ichigo was going to do. She sighed before going back to reading.

'Imagine if you had to catch the train to where ever your date is, what if it is crowded?' Ichigo thought about this, wondering what Moe was thinking before she kept reading. 'You would have to get a little closer to him due to how crowded it is.' Ichigo's heart began to race and pound, creating a large blush across her face for the third time that lesson.

'You would be able to see each long eyelash and feel his breath on your face. His scent would envelop you and you would be turned into butter,' Ichigo's breath quickened as her blush erupted into a deep, cherry tomato red that shaded her cheeks. Her eyes glittered with excitement as heat boiled in her body and she read on, 'Even though he is young, he will have an over-powering male scent that will make your blood boil and your heart thump with excitement. He'll look down at you and smile, sending your heart on fire as he apologises ever so politely, his breath tickling your ear and neck, Then, suddenly! The train bumps and your body falls into his. Your breasts press up against his tone chest, you can feel every detail of his chest. Every muscle moving underneath your body and his heart thumping against yours." Ichigo's daydream controlled her senses. She could feel her bare body pressed up against Masaya's body. Her small breasts brushing against his velvet skin, his racing heart beat, matching hers as they boiled with excitement.

In the back of her mind, Ichigo couldn't believe the image in her head. However, the voice of reason was drowned by the sensual daydream. The blush spread like a wildfire on a windy day across her skin until it covered her whole face, including her ears.

'His luscious lips would hover in front of your forehead and his brown eyes would be staring down into yours. You both will apologise to each other, his voice dancing into your ears as he calls your name ever so softly.' Ichigo could picture Masaya's silky and tantalising voice calling out her name, with a stressed tone as pressure built up, 'His hands, his long fingers will brush against your hips and then around your lower stomach, a pressure will p-'

The school bell sounded, ending the class. Ichigo mentally screamed with the bell as she collapsed onto her desk as the pressure in her body disappeared. The class president, Chiri-kun stood up with an audible command to the class, "Stand!". His eyes were hidden behind blocky, square glasses. Freckles dotted his cheeks and he stood up straight and proud. The class all followed, half of them groggy and other still snickering at the video. Not that the teacher cared, as the girls stared at his eyes they could just picture him thinking about running off the staff common-room to ask who wanted to go out for a drink. As far as he was concerned, his day of dealing with kids that weren't really paying attention to him was over and that sake or German beer was waiting to be smeared all over his face, well after he was so smashed that he couldn't tell the difference between a rubbish bin and a zombie… And in the process, waking up several neighbours.

Or so say the rumours…

"Bow," Chiri-kun instructed and everyone bowed to the teacher in respect. The teacher walked out of the door after a brief bow in return. Moe jumped up, Miwa following her. They scooped their bags up and ran pass Ichigo who sat in the chair, mentally exhausted.

"Come on Ichigo!" Miwa called, "Or you won't be able to see the match!" Ichigo looked up at the two and Moe giggled.

"What to stimulating for your innocent mind Ichigo?" Moe asked.

"What kind of fanfictions do you read and write Moe!" Ichigo called out to Moe who only grinned in response and they walked out of the room.

"Met you there Ichigo!" They called out, which caused alarm to rise up Ichigo's spine. She stumbled up and picked her bag up.

"Wait for me!" Ichigo called out as she took of down the hall in an attempt to catch up with them.

* * *

Daikan Junior High School was well-known for their seven year championship title holding kendo teams, and this year, the team has become even more popular and famous. Every time the team has a match, or even just practice, the gymnasium fills up inside and outside with supporters. So, if you wanted to see a glimpse at the Kendo hot-shots, you needed to run with light speed from your class to the gym to see the team. However the most important reason to run is to see 'him', Masaya Aoyama.

Crowds of girls were already flocking to the gym, giggling and fangirling over the team and their favourite player. Over 75% of the girls were fans of Masaya, even the seniors would talk about the 'cute new kid,'. Other clubs that have practice around the gym just rolled their eyes in confusion and indignation, not understanding how a few boys are so attractive. They murmured about how annoying the noise of squealing girls were and how they flocked around the area until the popular boys had left the area.

Ichigo slipped on her outside shoes, planning to go home after the match. She glanced around, looking for her two friends, but they weren't anywhere to be seen.

'Probably already saving a spot for me,' She thought as she took off for the gym. She noticed how many groups of girls were headed to the gym. She groaned, knowing that she would be stuck behind them.

'If I cut through the soccer field, I'll be able to beat them there,' Ichigo realised and thanked the heavens that she was wearing her outdoor shoes. She ran across the thin, gray-green coloured grass, luckily the sporting teams had not started playing yet. She found that only two girls were travelling this way. Ichigo ran behind the left wing building of the school and up a small corridor and to Ichigo's surprise, she found only a boy walking along here. Her mind flashed with the images of her daydream and her heart thumped in her chest. She shook her head at this and continued running, she squeezed her eyes tightly.

'I can't believe I thought that up! That is what boys think of and dream about! Honestly! That was X-rated stuff! I've never dreamed of anything close to that before! Damn Moe! She is totally Moe, I don't care what she's say! Some pure, innocent girl I am! Nothing like Aoyama-kun…' Ichigo thought and she opened her eyes but opened them too late.

Her face came into contact with a broad and sturdy surface. Pain crawled under her skin on her nose, buzzing around and creeping along her cheeks. Ichigo slapped her hands onto her face, mostly covering her nose that burned with pain. However, this unbalanced Ichigo and with the force she slammed into the object, her knee bent and gave out, sending Ichigo toppling to the ground. The buzz of pain returned with a stronger wave on her tailbone and butt, surging up her spine to the brain. Ichigo was thankful that at least her nose wasn't the only sore thing. With a large thud, Ichigo's bag landed beside her and luckily, it's buckle stayed intact.

"Ow, ow, ouchies," She muttered to herself as she rubbed her lower back. Ichigo looked up at what she ran into and froze up completely.

In front of Ichigo was a tall boy around her age but with an unnaturally toned and perfect triangle physique. His skin looked like it was taken from a tanned, alluring god from the enchanting Greek isles. His hazel eyes watched Ichigo with confusion mingling with a dash of amusement. They stared deeply into hers, scanning and searching for something. It made Ichigo's heart flutter intensely as he held her gaze. His thick, glossy ebony bangs sat perfectly on his brow. They shone in the sunlight, showing how perfect and well-kept his hair and body was. The gray blazer was sowed onto his board shoulders and chest that rippled with muscles that were unnatural for a boy his age yet not too freakily unnatural like bodybuilders.

The person Ichigo had bumped into was Masaya Aoyama…

'Oh my god! Oh my god! WHAT DO I SAY!' She thought to herself as adrenaline was released in her blood.

"I'm so so so SO terribly sorry!" Ichigo yelped, using all the energy that was surging around her to stand up tall.

His eyes became dark for one millisecond before his lips moved into a smile. Ichigo's heart pounded with excitement and heat flowed along her body to her fingertips that trembled ever so slightly with happiness.

"It's okay, I'm very sorry," He replied, his voice wasn't deep yet, it still held that childish tone instead of a man's deep voice even so, it was unbelievably mesmerising. Ichigo's heart started to flutter like a wild bird in a cage, it pounded against the bars, wanting to soar and fly.

'It's so loud, he can probably hear my heart beating. How embarrassing!' Ichigo thought. She could feel her cheek prickle with heat as a deep red blush swept across her face.

He began to walk over to Ichigo, which only increased her heart rate. The risqué images of her daydream filled her mind. His breath, his scent and his pounding heart beat against Ichigo's. Ichigo tried to forgot those images, fearing that she might be seen as perverted if she was even thinking them in front of him. He stopped beside her and picked up her bag and motioned it towards her.

"Again, I'm sorry Momomiya-san," Masaya apologised. Ichigo bowed yet again to him before accepting her bag.

"I'm so so s-" Then her brain processed what he said, she looked up at him amazed at what he just called her.

"Excuse me for asking this, but you know my name?" She asked him. Masaya stared at her confused and then nodded at her.

"Of course I do, why didn't you think so," Masaya told her, "Momomiya Ichigo from class 1-D,". Ichigo breathed in harshly at this. She glanced down at her bag that he was holding.

"Thank you so much, Aoyama-kun," She said as he reached out for her bag. She brushed against his warm skin, it felt coarser than her skin, harden maybe from Kendo training yet it amazed Ichigo how warm and gentle they were. At the same time, Masaya was taken back at how delicate and fragile Ichigo's pale fingers were. They were so small yet so soft and smooth, and the feeling lingered on his skin.

'I've never really felt a girl's skin before,' Masaya thought, shocked at this discovery. Ichigo snapped out of her trance first and she hugged her bag tightly and bowed yet to Masaya how snapped out of his little muse to look at the girl.

"Thank you so much, you didn't have to do that for me Aoyama-kun," Ichigo couldn't believe that she was in front of Masaya, saying his name, well last name, and she was acting like a smitten idiot.

"It's okay, I failed to catch you and you could've hurt yourself Momomiya-san," He explained, "It's the least I could do," This made Ichigo's heart jump in happiness at him worried about her health, even if it was just out of politeness.

"It's okay, I wasn't paying attention," Ichigo said, shifting around shyly, "I didn't hurt you right?" She asked to keep the conversation running.

"Don't sweat it Momomiya-san, I'm fine," He said, "Yet I feel like a fool to think that I just let you fall like that," he added gazing off into the distance. Ichigo became shocked at this and passion flared up in her gut. She took a step forward to Masaya and looked him in the eye.

"You aren't a fool Aoyama-kun! You're too amazing to be a fool," She told him. Masaya was taken back at this as his heart thumped with a warm feeling.

'I hear that all the time from fangirls… But why did I react like that with this girl?' He wondered as he gave Ichigo a slightly despondent smile.

"I'm truly not, but thank you for that compliment," He said, his smile turning warmer as Ichigo's sugar pink eyes met his gaze.

"Where's Ichigo?" Miwa asked Moe as they looked around. They were standing inside of the gym with a group of friends. They had a perfect view of the Kendo team that was just starting to meet up before they walked off to get changed. The crowd was already getting big as girls screamed and cheered for their favourite player.

"We got good spots and everything!" Moe added, she thought of where she might be, "Let's check the secret way, " She told Miwa, "Nozomi-chan, Madoka-san, please save our spots," she asked the bunch of friends as they ran out of the gym. They ran around the wall to the back of the gym, where they could overlook the passageway they always take to find Masaya and Ichigo talking to each other.

"Oh my god!" Moe said to Miwa who was completely speechless.

"I'm sorry if I'm wrong about this but are you one of my fans?" Masaya shyly asked Ichigo. Masaya tried hard to hide the subtle blush that was trying to break through his tanned skin.

'Look at me! I've never acted like this!' He thought to himself, trying to keep his composure in front of Ichigo. Ichigo looked down at the ground shyly before she replied.

"Yes," She answered, "I was on the way to support the team. Sorry that I'm a bit of a fang-" She began to apologise, knowing the stereotypical view on fangirls.

"I thought you might have been, I think I've seen your cute little pink pigtails in the crowd before. Thank you so much for supporting me and the team," He interrupted Ichigo.

"Cute pink pigtails! Does that classifies as calling me cute?' Ichigo thought, unable to control her smile that spread across her blushing cheeks.

"Ichigo! You're in there! Ask him out!" Moe said quietly, her voice bubbling with excitement. Miwa started to jump up and down with happiness for her friend.

"Th-Thank you so much," Ichigo replied, trying her best to keep some polite composure. Masaya just smiled at her and chuckled.

"You really are a different type of girl Momomiya-san," he said

'Does that mean that he likes me?' Ichigo thought.

"Ah! I'm sorry! You better get to Kendo practice!" Ichigo said.

"That is true Momomiya-san," He said and waved at her, "Excuse me and I hope to see you supporting us at practice today," he smiled at her, "Take care Momomiya-san," he said as he walked off leaving Ichigo to spaz out in happiness. Her body felt on fire with energy, as if she could run around Tokyo and climb Tokyo Tower without stopping. Her fingers trembled and her legs shivered in joy as she replayed the conversation in her mind. The heat in her body exploded, her turning to a flame of happiness, sending never-ending joy and warmth to her body.

* * *

Moe and Miwa ran down the steps of the gym, passing Aoyama-kun and running towards Ichigo.

"WE SAW IT!" They called out as they approached her, Ichigo smiled at her friends uncontrollably as they glomped her at full force. Ichigo kept her balance as the two girls danced around her in circles.

"He called you cute!" Miwa said, skipping with joy.

"And different from everyone else!" Moe added, giving Ichigo another hug.

"We are so happy for you Ichigo!" Miwa said.

"So much for "I won't be able to say anything!"" Moe repeated Ichigo's words, "Maybe that writing did give you confidence," she wondered.

"No it didn't," Ichigo said, poking out her tongue at Moe.

"Anyway, since you proved that you can talk to him you know the next step!" Miwa told her. Ichigo's happiness subsided as she stared at Miwa in confusion.

"Next step?" She echoed.

"You have to," Miwa started off, placing her arm on Ichigo's left shoulder.

"Ask him out on a date!" Moe ended, placing her arm on Ichigo's right shoulder.

A strange mixed of anxious alarm and happy excitement ran up her spine, giving her a strange combination of goosebumps and tingling.

'What! How do I do that?' Ichigo thought as they made their way to the spots that were saved for them.

However as he walked out the change rooms in the metal face guard, protecting his perfectly formed face and the traditional dark blue Kendo outfit, Ichigo burned with desire and determination. His gracefully powerful actions as he used the bamboo sticks to win his matches and way he defended himself made Ichigo even more eager to know him better.

He caught a glimpse of Ichigo and smiled briefly at her before continuing his match.

'There is something strange about her,' Masaya thought as he fought with more power and pride then ever, 'And I'll find out what it is,'

_He likes animals, go to the zoo or something_

"I'll do it!" Ichigo told Miwa and Moe, "I'm going to ask him to the Red Data Animal Exhibition on Saturday!" She announced to them.

* * *

**Zoey Hoshi**: So Long! But this is maybe on of my favourite chapters so far! I just remembered the old P.E video Wrappy the Condom so I add to mention that stupid video. Look it up on google if you have never heard of it

**Kyon-Neko (Best friend/Cousin):** That wasn't a lemon before?

**Zoey Hoshi**: Nup, the lemons will be better but they won't be for a while. Also, Masaya says how "Ichigo is different," which is why he even hung around her to begin with, so I wanted to introduce that early and develop on it!


	6. Perfection Rebellion

**Author's Note**: We are up to the more recent chapters now, so edits will be less major. Joining chapter 6 and 7 together in this chapter so Mint's introduction is done!

**Note:** I am Australian, and we have alternative ways of spelling certain words from America. Eg. Mum/Mom, -ise/-ize etc.

I know it is a major pain to do this, but please leave comments/reviews etc. because it **really** does cheer me up, knowing that this story is actually read and liked by people. **Thank you and sorry for all this!**

* * *

**Chapter 6: Perfection Rebellion**

The evening sunlight broke through the tall skyscrapers and into the classroom of a prestigious junior high school. Well-made desks, carved from fine and sturdy timber filled the room in identical rows. Interactive white boards replaced the old-fashioned black boards and laptops and expensive equipment that public school would scream were under every desk.

"Ojou-sama, the car is ready," The lean, broad-shouldered middle-aged man informed the young mistress. She just stared back at him with cold azure eyes.

'Everyone avoids you, the scary black clothed bodyguard. However compared to me… You're nothing but a normal man.' She thought coldly as he hid his true emotions under the heavily shaded sunglasses.

"Okay, lead me to the car," She stated simply, standing up from her desk. She smiled at girls had she had been talking to.

"See you tomorrow Ai-san, Madeline-san," She politely bided farewell to them, which they returned.

"See you tomorrow Mint-san," Ai-san replied

"Goodbye Mint-san," Madeline-san replied in her thick foreigner accent.

The elegant blue dress flowed around Mint's knees that were shielded from the cold by white stockings. The remains of the class quietly watched her walk out of the room. The bodyguard closed the door quietly for her as she continued to walk down the corridor. She nonchalantly checked her two neat buns on her head with her small slight hand, making sure that she was presentable to the public eye.

Then a sudden prickling feeling covered her spine, as if blunt pins were scrapping the back of her neck. It continued and in a few seconds, it severely unnerved Mint. She glanced around, certain that someone watching her but there was no one in sight. After a while of standing still, she just shrugged the feeling off.

'_Always be perfect,_' The command of her father flashed in her mind.

Her azure bangs sat perfectly on her brow, just above her thin eyebrows. She left the tall private school and easily found her family's car, the silver Mercedes-Benz. The waiting driver jumped up and with a bow of welcome, opened the door of the car.

"Welcome back Mint Ojou-sama," He said while he held out his hand, motioning for her hand.

"Thank you for picking me up," Mint replied to him as she took his hand as he helped her down into the back seat. She delicately sat still, hands in her lap as she gazed out of the car window at the city as it flew past her.

"Aizawa-sama is out at a business meeting, the Mr. and the Mrs. that is, the young master is staying back for exams," The driver informed Mint. Her eyes glazed over for a second.

'What a surprise, I'm home alone again,' Mint thought sarcastically. She just acknowledged him with a disinterested sigh.

"I have ballet in an hour, I'll get prepared and then I'll need to be driven to the dance hall," Mint instructed the driver.

"Of course Mint Ojou-sama,".

They soon arrived at the tall wrought iron gate that barricaded the Aizawa estate from sneaky paparazzi. The car entered and circled around the large and beautiful, yet unnecessary fountain. It was just a trophy of the family's wealth. Mint, with assisted help from the driver, stepped delicately out of the car and up the steps to the two story, mud-brick mansion.

As the tall double doors opened, the straight pathway to the stairs was lined with maids and butlers, the maids elegantly dressed in ankle-length, black dresses with wrist-length sleeves, and the stereotypical white apron. The butler's, likewise to the bodyguard and driver were clad in a black suit with white gloves. As their eyes came into contact with the distant eyes of the young mistress Mint Aizawa, they all bowed down to her and together, almost in a melded voice, welcomed Mint home.

"Welcome home Mint Ojou-sama!"

"Thank you, I'm home," Mint replied, with the lack of enthusiasm that the maids and butlers had. Mint just walked through them and up the stairs to her room.

It was a large room, it would be able to fit at least three children's bedrooms yet it wasn't any different. It had a large queen-size bed with an aqua blue silk quilt and two matching bedside tables. A tall dresser with elegant golden paint, that made circular patterns down the sides, sat on the other side of the room, allowing enough room from the end of her bed to her dresser to let a red Persian rug sit on the white carpet. The cream wall on the west was almost completely made up of white-framed windows, which could be opened up, leading to Mint's balcony overlooking the fountain and the street below. Beside each side of the dresser was a door, one to her personal en suite, one to her walk-in wardrobe. Her room was lit by an elegant chandelier and the wall above Mint's bed was littered by posters from movies and of a popular purple haired model. Next to the large main door was a large wooden desk with a bookcase towering above it.

In total, the room was neater, more spread out than other girl's rooms, making the room seem so empty and lonely.

Mint sighed and placed her bag next to her desk and delicately walked into her wardrobe. Lines of all clothes, winter or summer, were in there. Mint walked to find her ballet shoes and clothes. She reached out to grab them. However when she pulled out her clothes, she froze as she glanced at a photo of a young girl, her cheeks rosy and her body of a pudgy four year old. Her azure hair was up in buns, and she smiled at the camera, her eyes shining. It was Mint when she first started ballet and beside her, sitting in a chair was a six-year-old boy with short midnight blue hair, so dark that it looked black in the shadows. He was in amidst of applauding the young mint, his eyes full of joy.

"Seiji…" Mint murmured out aloud.

'I haven't seen this photo since… then…' Mint thought sourly to herself. Her eyes closed shut tightly and she sharply turned around and left her walk-in wardrobe. Her footsteps were heavy with dread as her mind flashed with memories.

The applause from her only brother, no cares or worries in the whole world.

"I shouldn't worry about such things," Mint told herself aloud. She placed her ballet bag on the end of the bed and gazed out of the towering windows at the passing world outside.

"Do you think she is okay?" A young maid quietly asked her senior.

"Why are you the spying on the young mistress?" The aged maid whispered in her ear. The young maid flinched at her words, she knew she was doing the wrong thing but Mint looked so lonely. The aged maid peeked through the crack in the door leading to Mint's room. Mint was just solemnly staring out into space.

"Poor thing," The aged women sighed, "She will become utterly insignificant to the Aizawa family soon,".

"What? Why?" The younger maid jumped back at the words that were just uttered.

"She is the last born, in the shadow of Master Seiji," She started to shuffle away, "Tonight, Masashi Aizawa-sama will be writing his will, and we'll see how much Mint is valued in this family,"

* * *

Mint breathed deeply, allowing her lungs to absorb oxygen. She listened to her ballet group an instructor applaud her. She smiled in satisfaction as the clapping came to an end. She gently rose up from the polished floor and glanced at her dance instructor. She was a young adult, her waist length strawberry hair pulled into a ponytail. She wore tight fitting black shorts and a tank top to allow her body to move around to demonstrate to the young teenagers.

"Excellent as always Mint-san," She praised. Mint nodded her head at the teacher and she stepped back, out of the spotlight and joined the rest of the class.

"That was perfect Mint-san," A voice rose up, Mint nodded her head towards the voice.

"So beautiful, I wish I could dance like you," A voice muttered, Mint just smiled back at them. Murmuring continued around Mint, she just smiled and took in every comment, every bit of praise. She let it repeat in her mind, the echoing of applause, the comments of envy and amazement. It resonated along every nerve and made her heart pump with excitement.

"Okay, that was excellent today," The teacher announced, clapping her hands together, grabbing everyone's attention, "That is all for today, but before you go, I would like to announce that we will be performing this summer the classic, Swan Lake,". After she mentioned that, voices rose from the class of amazement and enthusiasm. Mint gasped as her heart thumped in her chest.

'Swan Lake! Imagine the stage, the dance and the costumes… ' Mint thought excitedly. The air will be thick with amazement as lights shine onto the stage. The hundreds of people, shrouded in the darkness like spiders hiding in a dark corner, will always be glued to the dancers on stage. The music echoing in the room and embracing every person while the dancers move beautifully on stage. To step silently onto the stage, opening your eyes and absorbing the audience's gaze. Your shadow trailing behind you as you step into the spotlight, and being lit up like an angel in the elegant white tutu. The soul will burn with determination, the heart pounding with excitement. You are showing off your talent to the watching crowd, and they are licking it up every second.

"Auditions will start next week on Monday afternoon," The teacher explained. Everyone murmured with excitement as they headed to the change rooms. Mint started to get changed into a brown baggy top that hung to her waist and designer jeans. Then she felt the burning sensation in the back of head again as needles prickled her skin and her heart.

'This feeling! From back at school,"

"You're so lucky Mint Ane-chan," Mint flinched as someone called her impolitely. She turned to see a blonde haired girl around her age. Her sweeping hair was pulled into a side ponytail and one eye was a strawberry crème colour while the other was a mint crème colour. She had an air of respect yet friendliness to her, it made Mint a little unnerved, she wasn't used to someone approaching her like this.

"It'll be a walk in the park for you to get the main part, I'll do everything I can to make sure that everyone does their best for the performance," She continued.

'Is this girl admiring me?' Mint thought, her eyes brimmed with friendliness and respect. Mint's heart thudded at the warm aura that surrounded her, it was so calming and nice.

"Thank you very much," Mint replied with a smile. She tried her best not to gawk at her peculiar eye colours.

"Your smile seems, kind of cold," The girl replied to Mint, her smile dropped as she gazed at Mint with caring eyes. Mint felt a strange feelings brew inside her, rejection? No, it was a feeling Mint had never felt before.

Denial.

"What do you mean by that?" Mint snapped back at her.

"Sorry, just you don't seem truly happy," She bowed down, lower that normally, "I'm terribly sorry, I'll leave you now Mint Ane-chan," She walked off. Mint stood still as the girl walked by.

Mint's mind was covered in fog, confusion freezing her thoughts as the prickling sensation left her. The girl, she acted so informally, so normally Mint would be highly offended yet the girl had such a kind-hearted atmosphere that it attracted Mint to her.

"What is your name?" Mint imperatively asked the girl. She stopped and spun around to Mint.

"Hitomi, Miyarumi Hitomi," Hitomi announced to Mint before walking off. Mint watched her walk off before leaving, the name sounded very familiar to Mint.

Mint's personal bodyguard, still clad in black, was obediently waiting for the mistress to finish ballet.

"Thank you for waiting," She said to him as she approached him.

"It is my duty Mint Ojou-sama," He bowed to her with respect, "I am sorry to inconvenience you, however, there is a traffic jam and the driver is stuck a couple of blocks from here. I'm sorry to ask you of this but we have to walk from here,".

"It is no matter, let's head off," Mint replied. They walked down the steps from the ballet academy and immediately Mint saw that the road was blocked up with cars, barely touching each other in a long snaking line of traffic. The street lamps slowly flicked on, bathing the road with unnatural light. Mint and her guard walked down the street, Mint rugged herself up in the thick brown jacket, her hands digging into the pockets for warmth.

'Early spring is still as cold as winter…' Mint thought to herself, she was sick and tired of the cold breeze that swept the streets of Tokyo. Then the guard stiffened and in a swift movement, jumped on Mint's left side. Mint glanced at him, his brow was wrinkled with determination and worry.

'What made him like this?' Mint thought, she looked ahead and found the answer.

Slumped against the concrete fence was a scruffy homeless man. He had a sown brown beanie on his head that was heavily stained, his black hair was wild and untamed, clamping into messy bundles. His right eye was closed up from disfigurement or injury. His nose was deformed as well. His neck was wrapped up in a gray scarf and the stereotypical black, fingerless gloves covered his large hands. He stared at the ground sightlessly as Mint approached him. Mint knew what the guard was thinking, that man could easily jump up and rob Mint and do unspeakable things to her. Mint was clouded by a strange uneasiness as they walked by him. Mint's cerulean eyes flicked over to the homeless man to make sure that he wasn't standing up. Instead, his black eyes continued to stare down. The helplessness that enveloped her was a feeling so foreign to Mint that it took Mint sometime to identify it as that feeling.

Mint breathed deeply as they left the block with the homeless man.

'I hope I never come across that man ever again,' Mint thought was her stomach twisted with bizarre restlessness inside her heart. Soon they found the silver Mercedes-Benz and they quickly got it and the driver prepared the one hundred eighty degree turn. Mint remembered the girl's name, however she couldn't where she had heard the name before.

"Excuse me," She piped up, grabbing the guard and driver's attention, "I cannot remember this family," She said.

"What is the surname Mint Ojou-sama?" The bodyguard asked.

"Miyarumi," Mint replied.

"Miyarumi family. The Mrs. of the family is a ballet dancer. Not really well known, only a minor international dancer. However the head of the family got rich through the stock market a month or two ago," He explained.

"So, New Money," Mint summed up, the driver and bodyguard agreed with Mint. Mint heaved a sigh as she looked out of her window, thinking about the strange girl.

'Does she go to my school?' Mint thought, she shook her head at this. She pictured her father's blue-green eyes burning with hatred, his thick, mid-night blue moustache ruffling around as he told Mint and Seiji the 'Aizawa' rules. Mint couldn't remember the names that he gave them, nor what they meant, but she knew it was bad if she ever met one.

'_Never befriend 'new money'_,' His voice roared. Mint looked off into the distance, pondering her father's words.

'What difference is there truly?' She thought, however, she had to follow her father's word to the death or she would be spitting in his face.

* * *

Mint walked out of her en suite, dressed in her frilly silk nightie. She let out a sigh of relief, she just wanted to collapse on the bed and curl up in its warmth. She walked to her large windows and started to pull the thick curtains across to hide herself from the outside world. A dog started to bark from the front yard, Mint peeked out and realised that her beloved dog Micky was stuck outside.

'The maids must have forgotten about him, that's strange, they normally wouldn't,' Mint thought, she put on her thick dressing gown and walked down the stairs quietly. The place was dimly lit, but to Mint's surprise, the main room was empty and quiet. Mint's stomach rolled with a bit of nervousness at this but continued to walk towards the door. The large rooms held many dark spaces, giving an eerie effect the mansion.

'What is going on?' Mint thought, she opened the door and a little light-brown ball of long fur rushed inside. The small dog jumped up around Mint with large brown eyes thanking her. Mint smiled and picked up her beloved pet, it licked her cheek in return.

"Let's go to bed Micky," Mint told her little companion. Mint wanted to get back to her room as quick as she could. They went to walk to the main stairs when Micky's ears flicked and he squirmed out of Mint's arms.

"Micky, what's wrong?" Mint asked as the dog took off, Mint groaned and followed him down a hallway.

It was lit up brightly and down the end of the hallway, the door leading to her father's office was Micky. At the bottom of the door, light spilled out onto the floor. As Mint continued to Micky, she realised that there were voices coming out of her father's office. She listened in more, trying to block out any noise except the voices in the room.

"That just leaves my children," Mr. Aizawa's voice was muffled and sounded as if it was being transmitted from far away. Mint stepped closer to the door and listened in.

'My father is writing a will!' Mint realised and she gently pressed her hands on the door and leaned forward against it.

"Seiji is growing to be a fine boy, an excellent student and soon to go to America for business studies, he will excel well in the family," Mr. Aizawa praised his son. Mint's hands clamped up as the sound of her brother, but she continued to listen. She took a deep breath and endured it.

"He will find an impressive woman to call his wife and broaden the Aizawa family," He continued, "So he is a wonderful heir to the Aizawa family!". Mint's chest clamped up at this, her hands shivered with anger.

'Say something about me father!' Mint thought angrily.

"However, my only daughter Mint," Mint breathed in and held her breath, "Isn't that much, she isn't a true heiress," Mint froze at the words that she heard.

'No way… He is joking right?'

"She is wasting her talent on ballet, unlike Seiji who is smart and puts everything into study. Unfortunately, only dreamers try to succeed otherwise, Mint is one of these people. She will be useful for the family name and we could possibly use her in arranged marriages with other families. She doesn't have much of a personality so I'll doubt that she'll complain. My wife thinks otherwise but she has motherly instincts blinding her. So I will leave a fraction of my fortune to her but Seiji is the true hei-" Mint's heart was shattered like fragile glass at these words. Her body cracked and trembled with pain and confusion. Her throat contracted and dilated with raw pain as Mint felt her eyes watering up.

"Mint-sama!" An elderly voice sounded. The old and respectable maid shuffled over to Mint who was frozen against the door.

"Father… Father… Why?" Mint's voice cracked with pain as tears fell down her cheeks. The elderly housekeeper of the estate grasped Mint's hand and shoulder. She could feel the mistress's skin quivering and her temperature began to drop. The maid lead her back to her room, Micky darting around them, concerned for Mint. She moved as fast as she could with her age and the dark purple kimono that restricted her movements. Mint trembled as her father's words echoed in her mind.

"Why, why?" Mint repeated. The housekeeper opened the door to her room and sat the despondent Mint on her bed.

With this, Mint exploded into tears, her agonising called echoing throughout the large room. The maid sat down on the bed as Mint curled up, hugging her knees tightly as her chest heaved up and down painfully. Her tears slid down her cheeks. The maid sat there hopeless, listening to Mint's cries until they came out broken voice and in a painful, silent wail. The elderly woman placed a wrinkled hand on

"Baaya… Why?" Mint asked the old woman. Mint's muscles around her chest stung with strain and this was joined by her burning throat, as if it was on fire.

"Some men never understand the feelings of a girl, especially teenage girls. Unfortunately, your father tends to be one of these men," The Baaya explained. Micky jumped up into he bed, whimpering at the crying girl. Her lungs drew in air over her raw throat, increasing the pain that was tearing at Mint's pride.

"I've everything right, perfect grade, perfect image, everything that he wanted me to be. He told me to be perfect. I am perfect." Mint bawled out.

"Mint Ojou-sama, you are perfect always," The wise woman told Mint. However, Mint continued to cry and weep. Micky curled up next to Mint. The old woman sighed, she knew that she couldn't say anything else.

"If you require anything Ojou-sama, I'll always be here," She told Mint. Mint nodded at her and so she shuffled out of the door leaving Mint to sob herself to sleep, holding Micky tightly to her chest. The dog licked her salty cheek in an attempt to cheer her up.

After what seemed like hours of crying, until all Mint could do was stare sightlessly around her room. Her mind was blank as she tried to pick up the pieces of her heart.

"What went wrong?" She said aloud. She closed her eyes and held Micky.

'My whole life I followed his 'rules', I haven't even enjoyed life because of him and his goddamn stupid rules!' Mint thought when she remember the ominous feeling of Hitomi Miyarumi.

'_Never befriend 'New Money''_ Mint remembered her father's rule and scoffed at it. Micky's ears flicked up at the change of sound that Mint made. He whined, as if asking "What's wrong?"

"Micky, you know what?" Mint tried to hold back her tears, "I've always done as my father wanted," Her tear-filled eyes started to blaze with blue anger, "So that means I can do what I want now right?"

* * *

**Zoey Hoshi:** Not much change but now I have to fix up all the chapters! However, we are finally going to wrap up the DNA collection next chapter.

**Ryou:** Booyah! We are back in business~!

**Zoey Hoshi**: Better enjoy it, cause you 'may not go back"…

**Ryou:** What do you mean?


	7. This is Redemption

**Author's Note**: Now its time to wrap up the DNA collection (yet again). No major edits, joining up chapters together and adding more emotion. So we will have two Ryou-centered chapters! After that, I only have to re-write Zakuro's introduction then I'll be starting onto the new chapters~! The more I re-write this (Well, it's more just like editing now) the more I want to write, so my writer's block has hopefully disappeared!

We are almost there!

**Note:** I am Australian, and we have alternative ways of spelling certain words from America. Eg. Mum/Mom, -ise/-ize etc.

I know it is a major pain to do this, but please leave comments/reviews etc. because it **really** does cheer me up, knowing that this story is actually read and liked by people. **Thank you and sorry for all this!**

* * *

**Chapter 7: This is Redemption**

The Iriomote Yamaneko, or Prionailurus irimotensis, is a critically endangered feline that are related to the leopard cat. They are exclusively found on the Japanese island Iriomote and are called 'living fossils' due to it's primitive form because it has lived excluded to an island were it has lived comfortably. However after the spread of human colonisation and development, the Iriomote Yamaneko numbers have dramatically reduced due to destruction of habitat and being hunted by farmers. There are barely a hundred members on the island and it has never bred in captivity before. Never.

Until today that is.

Ryou and Keiichiro knew this information well, after researching the thousands of endangered animals on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. They stared wide-eyed at Suzuki-san, amazed at this fact. Japan now had a chance at restoring one of their national treasures!

"Ryou, let's check it out," Keiichiro said, the same thoughts just flowing through him.

The two followed Mr. Suzuki back into the in main building and walked down several corridors, swiftly turning left and right and threw numerous door to the point that Ryou's mind was clouded with the thought of getting lost in this massive complex. However, they walked through two thick metal doors and they were met by a draft of warm air, which enveloped them, embracing them like a maternal mother would. The room was thick with excitement as Zoologists and Biologists buzzed around, yet no one dared to make a racket as they smiled and carried on with observations and documentation. They started to ring up other Biology figures and e-mailing scientists and zoos, spreading the news across Japan and the world.

'Only a matter of time under the media will swamp this place,' Keiichiro thought to himself as he took off his thick, black trench coat.

"Please reframe from making a lot of noise," Suzuki-san informed the two, "We need to let the mother keep in a calm state. Since she has been in captivity for so long, we don't know how it might affect her natural maternal instinct. We have to make sure that she feels safe and imprints on the kittens so she doesn't reject them,' Mr Suzuki briefed, but his breath was just wasted. Ryou and Keiichiro already knew how important this was but they nodded back to him.

"Follow me," Suzuki-san told them and led them off to another room. After walking up some stairs they entered an observation area, overlooking a large enclosure. Biologists were observing with excitement and wonder, smiles plastered on their faces, yet Ryou could pick up the slight crackle of anxiety in the warm air.

'They are worried about the mother rejecting the kittens,' He thought to himself, 'Could having an animal in captivity really rip its feelings from its own blood and flesh?'.

The pen's floor was covered in sawdust, trapping in wastes and preventing the cold concrete floor from reaching the feline. Attached to the walls hung a few electric heaters, simulating the tropic environment of Iriomote and protect the kitten's from Mother Nature's harshness.

"Come, please look," Mr Suzuki walked to the large panels of glass and motioned for the two to come closer. He gazed down in wonder, smiling warmly as if he was watching over his first-born child. Ryou staggered forward and pressed his face to the glass to peer into the enclosure. Keiichiro followed Ryou and folded his arms, his trench coat hanging over his right shoulder. They searched the pen for any shapes and sure enough, in a shadowed corner was the brown feline. The mother was watching over five downy kittens that suckled furiously at her stomach. The mother had the distinct black markings and stripes down its body and white markings from its eyes to its cheeks. Its large yellow eyes watched its young as if amazed at them. Her rounded ears pointed towards them to listen out for any meows of attention.

"Amazing, this will be perfect for the population," Keiichiro smiled. Suzuki-san and Ryou nodded as he continued to watch the endangered feline.

'I still can't believe this happened,' Keiichiro thought. He gazed over and Ryou and was taken back at Ryou's deep expression. His ice blue eyes shone as his mind pondered and mused as he watched the mother Iriomote Yamaneko. Ryou could feel it, there was something strange, an attraction towards the cat that intrigued Ryou. His brain couldn't process where it came from or the feelings that buzzed around like a hive of bees but he wanted to get closer to it, understand it…

'Its DNA…' Ryou thought as he imagined what it could do.

"The caring and maternal love for its kits, the fierceness of its anger at anyone who dares to harm her beloved children… " Ryou murmured to Keiichiro. Keiichiro stared at his friend, understanding where he was coming from. He smiled as he thought of the possiblities.

"It would be perfect for the Mew Project," Keiichiro whispered, "But, we can't collect a sample, it has just given birth,". Ryou knew this fact to, he tried to get rid of the idea but it wouldn't die, it just kept flaring up in his brain.

'Its DNA…'

"But Keiichiro," Ryou said, glancing at his friend, "Those feelings we got… When we collected the DNA, the animal's behaviour as well. I thought that when we collected the DNA we felt its spirit…" Ryou mused aloud, he momentarily glanced around, making sure no one was in ear-shot, "We felt the spirit and its power," Ryou concluded. Keiichiro glanced off at the cat and processed what Ryou said.

"They know… Don't they?" Keiichiro summed up. Ryou nodded and he thought back to the day.

"The Black Finless Porpoise," Ryou murmured, "That feeling was so strong,"

"The Ultramarine Lorikeet, The Gray Wolf and Golden Lion Tamarin were strong too…" Keiichiro murmured back to him. Ryou glanced back at the Iriomote Yamaneko.

"If we approached it, it might come to us like all the other animals" Ryou said. Keiichiro glanced at the teenager beside him. His blue eyes burned with determination and zealousness. The way it glittered and shone reminded Keiichiro of that woman. Her long blonde hair that swayed in the winds as the amber flames grew behind her. Her eyes looked down on Keiichiro as they shimmered with resolution and single-mindedness as she stared down the path of Death himself.

"_Keiichiro, I always enjoyed your company and our afternoon teas… Please, take care of my precious little boy…"_ Her voice echoed in his memory. Keiichiro was thunderstruck at the phenomenal change Ryou had gone under a twenty-four-hour period. He couldn't help but smile at this.

"As I said earlier," Keiichiro said aloud, attracting Suzuki's attention, "I can't ignore Ryou's intuition, he is the leader of the project afterall," He stated, massaging the bridge of his nose and his eyelids gently as he tried to hide his smile. Suzuki-san glanced at them questionably and walked over to them.

"What's the issue?" He asked.

"I know this is going to sound crazy, but get me closer to the Irimote Yamaneko!" Ryou pleaded, placing his hands on Suzuki-san's shoulders. Suzuki-san could feel the willpower in his grip but Suzuki-san didn't fall for it. His eyes widen with shock and horror at the request.

"What in the world for!" He asked the teenager, "We can't disturb her or the kittens! Especially at this time-period," He explained. "I respect you Shirogane-san but the answer is a big no,". Ryou stepped back from the spaz that Suzuki-san was performing.

"I thought you said to be quiet," Ryou muttered who was getting irritated the more Suzuki-san protested.

'Like he understands! This is a matter about the world's future!' Ryou thought to himself.

"Please just lead us there, or I'll get there myself," Ryou hissed to the Zoologist, Suzuki-san flinched at these words, "Or do you want to enrage a rich brat," He threatened.

"Ryou," Keiichiro sternly cut in, his fingers in a millisecond were painfully clamped around Ryou's earlobe. Ryou hissed in pain, feeling the perfectly trimmed nails of Keiichiro dig into his skin. It wasn't unbearable pain but it was like a bird's foot and claws were clamped around his earlobe. "Sorry about his attitude, but please show us there, I don't know how much I can hold back a troubled teenager," Keiichiro apologised to Suzuki-san. He glanced at the two, from Keiichiro's polite yet pushing hazel eyes to the blue fire enveloped gaze of Ryou.

"Remember the Wolf?" Ryou pointed out to Suzuki-san.

"_Let him go, let's just observe, shall we?"_ Suzuki-san remembered Miyagi-san as he stood there, chuckling at the two boys, amazed at them. He gulped and slumped his shoulders and his head dropped down.

"This better have a damn good reason," Suzuki muttered. Keiichiro let go of Ryou's ear as he hissed at the pain that reverberated in his flesh.

"Thank you," Keiichiro thanked Suzuki-san as he led them the stairs and to a door that lead into a wire-framed, two by two room that allowed access inside the enclosure. Suzuki-san passed him the keys and ran his hand through his hair.

"I'll try and prevent anyone from coming in here to stop you but you only have a few minutes," He whispered to him.

"I will only go into the wire-frame room," Ryou stated, taking the bag from Keiichiro. "That's all I'll need,". He unlocked the door and closed it gently behind him.

As Ryou appeared in the pen, all of the Zoologists and Zookeepers screamed out silently at the bold step, and it wasn't even someone from the Zoo.

"WHAT IS HE DOING THERE?" They all called out, watching horrified at what might happen with the Iriomote Yamaneko and the kittens.

* * *

Ryou closed the door behind him as he stared into the pen. The smell of milk and newborn life immediately hit him like the Shinkansen. The next sensation he experienced was the 'caged' feeling again as he was trapped in the barred room. Even though the door sounded silent to Ryou's ears, the mother Iriomote Yamaneko ears flicked forward. Her head snapped to face Ryou's sky-blue eyes, which were filled with perseverance. The cat made no signs that it was going to move, nor any signs at all as it stared at Ryou. Ryou looked down, remembering how all the other animals came to them as soon as they made eye contact. Ryou shifted uncomfortably at this, wondering if this was a good idea.

'I have no idea what the hell I'm doing but,' Ryou glanced down at the bag containing the equipment and many vials of animal DNA.

"_My son… I wonder if he would finish it…"_ Ryou could remember overhearing this father. The crown of his black hair and the back of his white lab coat was all Ryou could see as he hid behind the door.

"_He might be able to complete and finish the Mew Project!"_ His father told the young Keiichiro.

'I have to do this!' Ryou summed up, his persistence withstanding the doubtfulness. He walked to the edge of the wire-framed room and crouched down. The mother just watched him with golden eyes as he pulled out the needle and an empty vial and set it up for injection. Ryou glanced over at the endangered cat, staring into its eyes but the cat just swept its tail protectively around her kittens.

'At least it wants to protect the kittens,' Ryou thought however the cat didn't move. Ryou sighed and took a deep breath.

'This is probably going to be the gayest thing I have ever done,' He thought.

"I know you want to protect your young," He murmured so only the Iriomote Yamaneko could pick it up. Its ears flicked as it tuned in the sound of Ryou's voice.

"I'm not here to harm them or you for that matter, but you can sense something bad can't you?" Ryou asked the cat, his eyes staring keenly at it.

'I'm talking to a cat, I think I'm insane,' Ryou felt like face-palming himself, but this was important. He needed that DNA. He had to take off his pride, swallow hard and only listen to his mind and heart. The cat's neck fur started to rise up, in fear or in anger. Ryou was relieved at this, because as he started at the cat, he knew that it wasn't directed at him.

"I need your help,' Ryou told the feline, 'if I take a DNA sample, I will help you protect your kittens and the world. I promise you! Please, just walk over here, it will only take a second and then, I'll do all in my power to protect our planet," I vowed to the cat, yet it felt like Ryou was pledging to himself.

What was happening was a matter of life and death, in black and white. He was the only human, apart from Keiichiro, that knew what was happening, they were the only ones that stood in the path of the planet's destruction. He needed the animal's help, the only living-things that had a connection with the land. Ryou looked down at the ground, he realised that his hands were trembling, his heart felt light and hollow. He gritted his teeth as anger spiraled up in gut, he hated this.

'I'm not a little child like back then,' He thought to himself, 'Why am I still scared of what approaches us?' However, mewling of kittens filled the air. Ryou looked up, wide-eyed as the mother stood up and pawed over to Ryou. Her eyes didn't move from Ryou's.

Golden fire staring into sky blue.

It was so sharp, the gaze the cat gave, it pierced into Ryou's heart and a strange feeling stirred in him. However, a meter or two from the barred cage, the Iriomote Yamaneko sat down and stared at him. Ryou's heart burned as he continued to be pierced by the hard gaze of the cat. He wondered why it was doing this, why it was hesitating to help when it hit him.

'We have caused this animal to become extinct, why would it want to help us?' he thought hopelessly, 'If someone culled 95% of the human race and then asked for our help… Why would we want to help them?' he realised. 'This animal has been hunted, its home as been destroyed and invaded as we brought in feral cats… We have damaged it so much… Why would it want to help?'

_This is our redemption…_

"I'm sorry, on behalf of human kind…" Ryou muttered to the cat, "We didn't mean to do this to you… We want to help you back on your feet and protect you… However, I will speak for humans when I say this…" Ryou murmured to the feline.

"We are sorry," he apologised to the cat, he glanced down, hopelessly at the ground when he heard a meow. The cat stood back up and continued to him.

"Thank you," Ryou smiled at the cat. She sat near the edge of the cage and glanced up at him and meowed at him.

Meanwhile, watching through the windows, all the scientist were frozen as their mouths gapped wide open.

Ryou clumsy looked for the injection spot, he cursed himself for not doing this more often. However, he softly injected the needle and watched as the precious DNA filled it. The cat flinched, but it wore off quickly as she watched her little kittens meow for her.

"Sorry, not much more longer now," Ryou apologised to the cat as her fur fluffed up but it wasn't because of Ryou.

A little kitten was gracelessly walking over to its mother, Ryou watched amazed as the newborn kitten, blind, deaf and helpless stumbled from the warmth of its brothers and sisters to the mother. The mother hissed at the kitten, but kept walking forward, unable to hear its mother's anger. Ryou then gently removed the needle and padded the wound dry as he drew glances at the kitten. It amazingly made its way over from its nest, however, to Ryou's surprise, the kitten didn't approach its mother for her warmth but collapsed in front of him. It mewed helplessly, its little body quivering. Ryou was shocked at how the blind kitten made it over here with its eyes closed but, it seemed to be 'looking' and meowing in his direction.

'_Does it want to help as well?'_ Ryou though astounded.

The mother hissed at the kitten yet again, but the kitten stubbornly sat there. After a while, the mother gave up and licked the kitten on the head, wrapping its tail protectively around it and gazed up at Ryou. He placed the vial of mother's DNA in the bag, but there was no storage space inside the bag after that. Yet, there were a few small, empty vials left over just in case one broke. Ryou glanced at it as he picked it up.

"_But then, what can we do when we sacrifice five young girl's lives? What is our redemption then?" _

"_You will figure that out,"_

Ryou looked down at the all of the DNA samples that they had collected.

"All of these samples,' Ryou thought to himself, 'They are the only thing that could help us without having to call up the alliance… Yet they could be seen as the weapons of manslaughter… The Mew Project will create biological weapons that will effectively destroy their humanity… I'm leading this so I'm responsible for their 'deaths'… How do I redeem myself for that?' He sighed as he stared at the DNA then it hit him.

'What if need to test it…' Ryou thought to himself, he got the needle ready again. 'What if we need to test it on a person before the final phase?' He delicately injected the needle and he filled the little vial. The kitten squeaked in pain, the mother just licked its head furiously. Then Ryou pulled the needle out and put the vial in his pocket.

"Thank you," Ryou said as he stood up with the bag and closed the door on the watching golden eyes of the Irimote Yamaneko as he felt an overpowering urge to protect what was dear to him, to protect everything.

'I have to complete the Mew Project, for my father and for that Iriomote Yamaneko…" Ryou thought, 'Not to mention humanity…"

"That was amazing Ryou, good job" Keiichiro praised Ryou as they sped back to the café. The sun had fallen, leaving Tokyo in a world of darkness. Birds flew back to their nests and owls took to the starry skies. Ryou glanced out of the window, pondering his plan, the Kitten's DNA in his chest pocket felt so heavy, as all secrets do. The street lamps flew by, continuously lighting up Ryou's face before the lamp disappeared behind them.

"At least, we know that we are on the right track," Keiichiro added as he concentrated driving, "Shirogane-san would be proud of you Ryou,", Ryou froze at the sound of his father's name.

"Hmm, I hope I didn't screw up his research," Ryou mumbled.

"Says the boy that was cultivating uma cells before his father," Keiichiro laughed, "He is watching down on you right now from heaven Ryou and trust me, he would be so proud," Keiichiro added. Ryou smirked at this remark, he remembered the smell of his father's lab, the tangy smell of alcoholic disinfectant and old leather covered books. He could picture his father's thick black hair and his hazel eyes as he read notes of information.

"Shit!" Keiichiro cursed as he slammed on the brakes on the car, but Ryou had no time to be surprised at the rare site of Keiichiro letting fly with a curse. Ryou fell forward but the seat beat held him back but the stress it created on his stomach was unbearable and his lungs were pressed down so hard that his breath was ripped from him. The bag of vials fell forward and spilled its contents onto the floor, the tiny vial in Ryou's pocket slid out onto the floor as well.

"SHIT!" Ryou exclaimed as the vials fell onto the ground. Luckily, the vials were thick enough to withstand the impact to the ground.

"Sorry Ryou!" Keiichiro apologised as the car came to a complete stop. He looked fluttered at the fact that he had cursed and he wasn't paying enough attention to see the car come to a halt in front of him. Ryou checked the spilt vials for any cracks and placed them back in the bag. A long line of traffic grew in front of them as many commuters tried to get back home for dinner.

"Thank goodness for ABS brakes," Keiichiro breathed and he glanced at Ryou who was quickly inspecting the vials, secretly trying to find his Kitten DNA.

"I'm so sorry Ryou! Are they okay?" Keiichiro asked, Ryou nodded as he placed them all back

"Let me help out," Keiichiro said, picking up a vial that looked small in his hand. Ryou read the label.

'IRIOMOTE YAMAN…'

Panic ran up Ryou spine Keiichiro went to place it in the bag.

'THAT'S THE KITTENS!' He thought, 'If Keiichiro sees another Iriomote Yamaneko vial, that is the end of it!'

"Keiichiro! The traffic is moving!" Ryou exclaimed as the car in front started to move. Keiichiro continued drive as Ryou snatched up the DNA vial.

'Thank god, because if Keiichiro knew about the second vial, he wouldn't let me complete the final test,' Ryou thought, slipping his vial into his chest pocket. It was strange, because it seemed to fit not as snuggly as it did before. He just dismissed that as a trick of the mind.

"Ryou, I'll start extracting the nucleic acid from the samples and place it in the infusion machine, why don't you try to finish R2000?" Keiichiro asked Ryou. "Your father found that artifact along with the original infusion gun and you did hypothesis that it was needed for the project so why don't you finish it?"

Ryou had completely forgotten the strange device that was found with the artifacts that they had based the Mew Project off, except, they had no idea what was its importance nor enough process over the two years to even know if it was working. Ryou sighed as he thought about the seemingly unfeasible project however he nodded his head at Keiichiro before going back to musing about his 'final test'.

'No matter what happens, no matter the outcome, in a strange way… Ryou will die,' Ryou thought to himself as they continued to the Café.

* * *

**Zoey Hoshi:** We all know what he is thinking ;) But what is this 'alliance' Ryou spoke of? Almost done with re-writes! Hooray!


	8. Cyborg Birth and Unorthodox Rebirth

**Author's Note**: I always love writing (re-writing or editing) this event! This is really Ryou's turning point, when he takes full responsibility for the girls, giving up his humanity and putting his life on the line for them. It really shows that dispite his rough personality and young age, he is a truly caring leader of the Mew Project!

**Note:** I am Australian, and we have alternative ways of spelling certain words from America. Eg. Mum/Mom, -ise/-ize etc.

I know it is a major pain to do this, but please leave comments/reviews etc. because it **really** does cheer me up, knowing that this story is actually read and liked by people. **Thank you and sorry for all this!**

**Note 2:**

**^ …. ^ - This quotation marks for when the Mews/Animals are talking.**

* * *

**Chapter 8: Cyborg Birth and Unorthodox Rebirth**

'_Are you worried?_' Keiichiro could remember asking the amazing American beauty that sat in his memory. Even though he hadn't seen her in five years, he could picture her sitting down in her elegant silk dress, her long blonde hair flowing behind her. She looked up at him, just a measly assistant, from her afternoon tea. She smiled warmly at the young Keiichiro.

"_Am I worried?" _He could still remember her voice from that day,_ "Yes of course I am. We have stepped into dangerous territory as soon as we found the ruins. Yet, what can I do? He is our son…" _her voice faced away from Keiichiro's memory.

Keiichiro's eyes opened wide as he awoke from his flashback like dream. He sat up and glanced around, forgetting where he was and what he was doing last. He found himself in the underground lab, many screens had been turned off, leaving the two in poor lighting. Keiichiro glanced at Ryou, who was still awake and working hard behind him at his work station. Keiichiro let out a breath and he nursed his brow in his large hands.

'Why… Why am I having these flashbacks?' Keiichiro thought. He glanced at the desk in front of him, finding a scientific microscope in front of him. He mentally hit himself for falling asleep like that and looked at his watch.

'It's two in the morning? Geez, when did I fall asleep? I can't remember the time when we got back…' Keiichiro thought to himself, 'I got to get back into a healthier life style…'

Keiichiro looked through the microscope barrel at the animal cells they had collected yesterday. He shook his head, his long hair flicked around with the action. He was still amazed to find his eyes were cloudy with sleep.

'I just slept, yet my body is begging for sleep,' He thought to himself, blinking hard to try to concentrate and he continued on with the research.

Along the bench behind him was the blonde teenager, suffering from lack of sleep as well, yet the bright light he worked under, not to mention the several empty cans of red bull that laid scattered around Ryou's workspace, kept him awake. They weren't the only things scattered on the bench, several hardware tools and computer chips were surrounding a bundle of materials that Ryou was currently focused on. In the middle of computer chips and machinery was an old, ancient artifact. Ryou carefully fine-tuned the bundle, delicately moving pieces into their rightful place as he tinkered with it.

"Ryou, you should be sleeping," Keiichiro broke the concentrated silence as he felt his own tiredness. He gave the teen a worried, yet sleepy gaze.

"You sound like a parent," Ryou threw back and he observed Keiichiro, "Also, I could say the same to you,".

"Well, I am your legal guardian, so I have to act like a parent sometimes," Keiichiro stated, he didn't want to admit to Ryou that he had already slept for awhile, just rolling along with his out-of-wack body clock.

"That sometimes only kicks in when you want to order me around doesn't it?" Ryou asked, Keiichiro just chuckled in reply. Ryou just continued with his project.

"I wonder what this is for though," Ryou thought aloud, looking at the jumbled mess in front of him, "I always said that it must be important, however we figured out the infusion gun easily, but this?" Ryou looked down at it and sighed.

"I guess we will find out soon enough," Keiichiro added. Ryou sighed and continued with the seemly endless tweaking. He continued to work under the bright light, yet no matter what he tuned, what he added, nothing seemed to work. His blood started to boil as no progress was made.

'I've been working on this for ages!' Ryou cursed mentally. He picked it up and inspected it. 'I have no idea what it's supposed to do!'. He started to notice that his fingers were trembling, whether it was because of the caffeine in his blood or the anger and frustration that started to swamp his brain, he didn't know. He placed it down and thumped the bench with a closed fist. The pain burned at his hand but it only relieved Ryou a little of the boiling frustration that threatened to explode. Keiichiro flinched in surprise at the thump, he turned to the vex Ryou. He contemplated what to say next, he knew that fatigue mixed with sugar and caffeine would make Ryou not in the best of moods.

"Why can't I start it up! We need it for the Mew Project," Ryou slumped forward, his fist tightened up. His nails began to dig uncomfortably into his skin. His frustration continued to boil and he yearned to relief the pressure in his chest. His teeth started to lightly bite into his thin lower lip yet still his frustration grew. His run down body was yearning to give into sleep yet the caffeine from the red bull prevented this, causing a massive conflict in his body. This prickled Ryou even more. Then, a flash of the fiery golden eyes of the Iriomote Yamaneko burned into his mind, just adding more fuel onto the fire of frustration.

'I promised..,' Ryou could feel the vial of the Irimote Yamaneko DNA in his front pocket. The longer it sat in his pocket, hidden from Keiichiro, the heavier and bigger it felt. 'I need to finish this project…'

Ryou slumped down next to the artifact, dropping his screwdriver. The tap it created as it hit the tiled floor echoed through the room.

However the tapping and ticking didn't stop, it kept echoing.

'Is that getting louder?' Ryou and Keiichiro thought in confusion. They both simultaneously sat up when they heard strange, alien-like noises emitting from the jumble of computer parts and the peculiar artifact. Ryou pushed his chair back as shock boiled and bubbled over in his gut, destroying the frustration in a second. The dusty body then lighted up in a flash of white light. The two men covered their eyes from the alien object that continued to spurt out light.

"What! Wha?" Keiichiro exclaimed, his head boggled by this.

"What the hell is happening!" Ryou yelled out in confusion.

Then with a fizzling sound, the light became less bright, allowing the two to open their eyes in complete astonishment. The artifact was encased in a ball of dull light. Keiichiro studied it and realised that the light was forming flesh and tissue out of newly formed cells.

"It's creating life on top of the artifact!" Keiichiro couldn't believe what he was saying, but it was true. The flesh grew up into two points at the top and a thin strand grew below it and a strange 'hand' like figure on each side. The two watched as a skin cased the muscles in another flash of white light. The light disappeared, revealing the peach skin. Then, in a few milliseconds, light pink fur began to grow from the microscopic pores. Red feathers grew from the figures on the sides, forming wings. Dark pink fur grew on its ears and at the end of its tail. In a matter of a minute, a ball of fur sat on the table instead of bits and pieces of ancient and modern technology. The two men gawked at in wonder as two large eyes opened up on its face, it lacking a pupil letting the pink iris extend out. As Ryou stared into its eyes, he could see a computer-like texture in its eyes instead of natural texture.

"Incredible! It is half organic material and half inorganic! This is amazing! This type of technology to exist thousands of years before mankind!" Keiichiro exclaimed as the robot purred and started to flap its wings and hovered in the air.

'It makes my heart pound with excitement,' Keiichiro thought, his archaeology nerd awaking, 'For this to exist for us… It is truly amazing!'.

"It's an A.I Robot!" Ryou realised as it perched itself on Ryou's shoulder. It stared up at Ryou and then with a strange, robotic, yet cute voice talked to him.

"Name, Me, Name?" The robot tweeted, again stunning the two men. Ryou's mind was a mess of confusion and astonishment, the last thing he was capable of was to create a name of the extraordinary robot.

"Well you were labelled as R-2000, so until we think up of a better name, that can be it," Ryou replied to the robot. It chirped back at him, agreeing with him and just sat like a little bird on Ryou's shoulder. Ryou brightened up at this, the pressure of frustration gone, he could breathe again and he didn't mind the little bit of company.

"All this aside R2000," Ryou brought up, "What is your purpose?"

"Collection," He simply said. Ryou sweat dropped at this, confused even more but Keiichiro tapped him on the shoulder.

"Well, The Mew Project is moving smoothly isn't it?" Keiichiro said aloud. He was slowly recovering from the shock that was controlling him, yet it made him motivated. They were getting closer and they couldn't afford to waste anymore time.

"I've gotten three samples ready for injection, I've just got one more left to prepare," Keiichiro told Ryou. He sat back down and fiddled with some vials of animal DNA. Ryou walked over to Keiichiro and watched him extract the nucleus of each cell carefully and place them in a thin tube.

"Which ones did you pick?" Ryou asked him as R2000 observed his new surroundings.

"Black Finless Porpoise, Golden Loin Tamarin and the Gray Wolf so far," He stated, "Since we had those strong feelings, I thought we would go with them first," He explained. Ryou nodded at him, glad at this choice however, something grabbed Ryou's attention.

Beside Keiichiro was the original infusion gun that was dug up at some ancient ruins, along side the artifact that made up R-2000.

It was smaller than a magnum pistol and was more streamlined than any type of pistol. It had a circular holder for DNA samples at the top of the gun and possessed a pointed barrel. It had dark patterns that stretched alongside the barrel. It had a button-like trigger and the gun ended in a point.

From this, they created the large infusion machine that awaited the fateful day that was approaching them.

* * *

Ryou froze and swallowed hard as he brushed a finger over his pocket, feeling the vial that was still hidden from Keiichiro. The blood rushed around his body as the natural blood pump started to go into overdrive. He breathed in deeply and exhaled slowly, in an attempted to control his breathing, and in effect, would stop his fluttering heart. As he controlled his breaths, he pondered about his experiment and how to approach it.

'This is it… I am really going to do this…' Ryou thought to himself, 'These few heart beats are my last, these breaths are my last and this is my last few minutes as human…' Ryou trembled at his, he tried to fight back the fear that he felt swirl in his lower gut. 'At least I can say goodbye to my last few moments as human, unlike the poor girls. Anyway, this is my duty, this is my redemption,'.

"Keiichiro, are you sure this is safe?" Ryou asked Keiichiro. Keiichiro paused and looked up at Ryou's blue eyes. They were full of concern, it reminded Keiichiro of Ryou's mother. Full of anxiety yet they contained a shimmer of unnatural calmness.

'Why does he remind me of her so much now?' Keiichiro thought, it started to irritate him. 'She is resting now and she wouldn't want us to worry about her at this time!'.

"Ryou, we have both developed this, you shouldn't lose faith in it," Keiichiro replied, biting back the images appearing in his head. Ryou eyed the ancient infusion gun, Keiichiro just smiled at him with that smile that made Ryou's heart boil, not from anger. The warm smile an adult would give to a worried child. Ryou tried to hide his feelings, they would normally be feelings of anger however it wasn't the case.

'I am treated as a child still, no matter where I go yet I act my best to be adult. I've grown up quicker then most kids, I've said goodbye to my teenage years yet Keiichiro still sees me as a child, everyone sees me as a child yet I act like a mature, young adult…' Ryou thought as the feelings bubbled over, 'However, I don't feel anger but sadness… This is pathetic!'

"It's our data, so you shouldn't lose faith in it," He smiled and he turned back to his work. "I only need to do two more and the first batch is ready for fusion," Keiichiro stated.

"It is necessary to extract the nucleus?" Ryou asked, trying his best to not look curious, "For infusion,".

"Not really, it could be done with just the bare blood but I'm just unsure of it…" Keiichiro explained, "Something might go wrong, or the power won't be the same,", Ryou just nodded back at Keiichiro. His fingers skimmed over the vial again and he took a deep breath.

He reached out for the fusion gun and pretended to just inquisitive of the old object. He easily located the chamber for the vial and the right way for it to go. His heart began to thud, his nerves were crying out to him to stop. His whole body seemed to reject to the idea.

He breathed deeper and more harshly as he pulled out the vial of the kitten's DNA. He ripped off the lid and placed it into the barrel chamber, however, it loudly popped into place, the sound catching Keiichiro's attention. He spun around to face Ryou, only to find him with a loaded fusion gun and with a strange look about him.

"RYOU! STOP!" He jumped up, his chair falling backwards into the floor due to the sudden action.

"No," Ryou answered calmly as he pointed the gun to the right side of his exposed neck.

"Think of what you are doing Ryou!" Keiichiro pleaded to the teen.

"Keiichiro," Ryou started, "Sorry to keep this secret from you but I have figured this all out. I **am** the leader of The Mew Project, so that means I have to make decisions for the rest, to figure out what is best for them. So then, my experiment shouldn't be bad. I'm doing it to protect others. I'll know what it is like, I'll be exactly like them and I'll help them through it." Ryou paused before he continued, "You told me that I'd find redemption for the Mew Project right? This is it," Ryou finished. Keiichiro was truly taken back by this, and know understood that he must have planned this for a while. Ryou's stern gaze, his brow lowered in determination and his solid gaze that burned through Keiichiro's worries. Along with his strong, yet stubborn statue reminded Keiichiro of his father. Of course, Ryou lacked the warm and wise aura of Dr. Shirogane yet the determination and the thought-process was spot on. Father like Son. Keiichiro mentally hit himself for having this memories appear so much, but he had to deal with the matter at hand.

"I guess no matter what, I can't ignore your intuition…" Keiichiro smiled, "Your father and mother would be so proud,". Ryou gulped hard.

His blood pumped through his body, he could hear it run through his ears and feel it in his eyelids. He glanced over at the trigger, staring at his trembling finger. He could clearly hear his heart sickly thumping his chest.

'This is my last moments as being human…' He thought to himself. He looked at the fusion gun, trying to look away from his twitching hand when he glanced at the vial of blood. On the glass tube was a white paper label, and across it in big bold permanent texter was, 'IRIOMOTE YAMANEKO – MOTHER'. R-2000 flew off Ryou's shoulder and scanned the vial with large eyes.

'The mother's?' Ryou's mind slipped, his finger accidently pressing down on the trigger.

His eyes widened as a sharp force hit him in the neck. A keen pain dug into him, tearing away the skin. Then the foreign substance entered his blood, like an oil slick on the ocean. He could feel the thick, warm blood that trickled down his neck while the majority spilled into his body. It felt painful, yet warm at the same time. The cat blood mixed around with Ryou's blood, making its way to his pounding heart. He felt the sharp warmth travel down his neck, pumping and surging down to his chest. It felt like a blade was travelling down his veins. He dropped the infusion gun, the remaining Iriomote Yamaneko blood spilled out onto the floor as Ryou clenched his chest.

His body tried hard to fight the 'invading' blood but it continued down his system.

"Ryou!" Keiichiro called out to Ryou, but Ryou could hardly hear him, in fact, his senses were blurred and clouded. He glanced up at Keiichiro, his blue eyes watering and shimmering with pain. The blood entered his heart and pain exploded, making his heart light up like the sun.

The Iriomote Yamaneko's cells were attacked by the white blood cells. They started to eat into the animals cells however, when it broke open the nucleus, the chromosomes of the Iriomote Yamaneko spread out and were absorbed, via an alien force, into Ryou's white blood cells. The chromosomes started to mix and mutate under the strange alien force. Then the cell began to split, replicating the new alien cell. This continued and the alien force made each cell be attacked with the new mutated chromosomes. Tissues of the body, everywhere were attacked, a section of the DNA strand was ripped away as the Iriomote Yamaneko's DNA filled the gap.

Ryou's knees gave out, his body starting to topple, but Keiichiro quickly caught his shoulder and helped his body to the ground. However, he couldn't let go of the boy, he couldn't bare to look at him when he was in so much pain, so he wrapped his arms around him to support him. Keiichiro ignored the blood that seeped into his brown hair from Ryou's neck.

Ryou then felt an increasing warm feeling extend over his body, from his heart to his trembling fingertips.

He then felt his bones shrinking all over his body, some bones even disintegrated. This made him slump over more into Keiichiro as he started to shrink. His skin shrunk along with his, then started to break out with gray fur and it continued to grow while his skin just disappeared under it. His ears then started to crawl up his skull, the feeling of them moving just made his skin crawl. They bent over into a point and fur grew over his face as his blonde hair disappeared. Then, loud bone-cracking sounded filled the room, making Ryou and Keiichiro flinch and their heart lurch. Ryou's spine extended forming a tail that proceeded to be covered with gray fur. He let out a strange sound, a scream that Keiichiro had never heard from Ryou before, making his panic boil over, filling his body. Ryou's fingers had disappeared and turned into paws, his palms hardening up and flesh grew under them like bubbles, bubbling up under his skin. His nail grew into claws and his legs cracked as they were completely re-formed. His skull grew out and his nose flicked out and became sensitive. Ryou felt the pain subside as the heat started to die as its energy was absorbed into each new cell.

"Ryou… I told you that raw blood wouldn't be effective, also you don't have the right genes…" Keiichiro murmured, yet Ryou could hear him loud and clear. Ryou's vision became clearer and lighter, more than it ever was, especially considering they were in poor light. He could also feel the texture of Keiichiro's skin and the pulsating heat through the thin yet sensitive whiskers that extended from above his mouth. He could feel a large hand grasping his entire back and a thick arm under his backside supporting him. He could sense that Keiichiro was worried yet his aura was caring and friendly.

His brain was hit with the increased sensation of smell as he could smell the caffeine from the Red Bull cans, the smell of dirty laundry clung to the floor and a synthetic smell dominated the room. Then a flash of green light surrounded his neck and he felt a cloth material form from it.

"The last experiment is complete," Keiichiro said and pulled Ryou back to inspect him. He found, the boy that he took under his wing, Ryou Shirogane had transformed into a gray cat with dark sooty gray paws and tipped tail. His human genes had held out, gaining gray sooty hair from his grandfather and his brilliant blue eyes yet he had Irimote Yamaneko traits. The tail was lightly striped in bands in gray, just a tinge darker like an Irimote Yamaneko. He tip of his tail was slightly crooked as well. Around Ryou's short neck was a green scarf that had been created out of a magical-like light. Ryou glanced up at him, at his frightenly human-like gaze he gave him.

"That is really you isn't it Ryou?" Keiichiro murmured in disbelief. Ryou looked up at Keiichiro and tried to respond.

^Yes…^ Ryou meowed, his voice sounded as cat's meowing instead of normal speech. Ryou looked down at the down, his mind was a blur with mist of confusion. The overload of new information boggled his mind, he could smell incredibly and it overloaded his mind. He could hear his own heart beating and Keiichiro's breathing and heart beat. His whiskers picked up airflow and it tickled is senses. Yet, among his he felt a strange, disturbing feeling but it was so dull that Ryou could easily forget it.

'Is this what they were feeling?' Ryou thought. He glanced over the gun and yet again read the label on the vial.

'I really did take the wrong DNA… It must have been when they all slipped out… I'm such an idiot! This DNA would have been better for the project! Not for me!' Ryou bashed himself up over the matter. He curled up his nose as the smell of his blood filled his nostrils. It was a sicking smell to him, he wanted to hurl and escape it.

"Irimote Yamaneko," R-2000 chirped.

"R-2000, are you for the Mew Project," Keiichiro asked the robot who purred in response, "Please tell me about Ryou's condition,". R-2000 paused, trying to find words in his little vocabulary to explain to Keiichiro the situation.

"Improper fusion," R-2000 stated, "Cat for ten minutes, no more, or not human again. Irimote Yamaneko gene take over ten minutes." He tried to explain, "Turn back, off scarf," R-2000 finished. He looked at Keiichiro, who tried his best to understand what R-2000 had explained.

"So Ryou can only turn into a cat for ten minutes or his cat genes take over and he can't turn back into a human," Keiichiro repeated and R-2000 purred in response, "And to turn back, he must take off the scarf, so to transform he has to put on the scarf?" He asked and yet again, the little robot confirmed it with purring. Keiichiro and Ryou let out a sigh as they found out that this transformation wasn't permanent.

"Ryou, you actually make for quite a cute cat," Keiichiro said. Ryou could feel the fur at the back of his neck stood on end as rage filled him, he couldn't contain it silently as he hissed in response. He was shocked at this so he immediately tugged at the lime-green scarf with his sharp canine teeth and pulled the scarf off. He was overcome with warmth as in a few seconds, his bones grew and his tail retracted into his back. His fur shrunk back into his skin and his blonde hair grew out of his scalp as his ears returned to normal.

Keiichiro then found himself holding the teenage Ryou again as his clothes was restored in a bright flash of white light.

"Don't hold me ever again or I'll reconsider bring up the homo thing," Ryou hissed at him, he slapped his hand over at his neck as his small hair stood on end. He flinched at how sharp his nails were, he stared down at the ground in amazement. Keiichiro unwrapped his arms and stood back up.

"I still have cat characteristics…" He told Keiichiro, "I can still smell the reek of my blood," He stated as he pulled his hand away from his neck, sliding his fingertip through the fresh blood on his neck, "My nails are sharper than usual, I can see everything in here so clearly and I can even hear your breathing…" Ryou explained. Keiichiro sighed, unable to believe what just happened.

"I extracted two Iriomote Yamaneko DNA vials, one was the mother's, one was the kitten's," Ryou explained, "I was going to use the Kitten's as the test but they both spilled out and I picked up the wrong one. I have the mother's in my body now…" He explained disappointed at himself, "Sorry I kept it from you," He apologised.

"Ryou, you know what this means right?" Keiichiro asked him, Ryou nodded back at him.

"Whoever get injected with the kitten's DNA will in some way be my kin," Ryou stated.

"It might be a good thing," Keiichiro added, "Because you will want to protect these girls with your life, just like the mother Iriomote Yamaneko would do. You will be the perfect leader of the Mew Project," Keiichiro then reached his hand out for Ryou, "Stand up, we have to complete the Mew Project,". Ryou looked down at himself and then back up at the human in front of him.

"Keiichiro… I'm not human anymore," Ryou echoed with the realisation.

"You are still Ryou," Keiichiro asked. Ryou looked away for a second before taking Keiichiro's hand for support. "We should celebrate Ryou, the Mew Project works and you are the first one of them," Keiichiro brought up. Ryou just realised this, he was the first biological weapon. He may not be the best, but he is the first.

'I'm what they call a Mew Mew?' Ryou thought, 'That sounds so girly though…' He thought distastefully.

"So I'm a cat superhero," Ryou laughed,

"I guess you are," Keiichiro joked back.

"Then I need a name don't I?" Ryou thought aloud, "As I save queens in distress from overbearing toms, appearing from the shadows," Ryou sarcastically said. Keiichiro rolled his eyes, happy that Ryou had recovered at least and was back to his old personality.

"What then? Mew Ryou?" He joked, smiling at the disdain towards that idea.

"Alto, standing tall and high as I lead this project to completion, how does that sound?" Ryou asked Keiichiro.

"Sounds right Ryou," he smiled.

"Alto then, When I am a cat, I am not Ryou but Alto," Ryou said as he walked off to clean the blood off his skin.

* * *

**ZoeyHoshi**: Mew Ryou… I wish I had a picture of that, cross-dressing and everything… Classic stuff

**Ryou**: Damn, your still teasing me…

**ZoeyHoshi:** Yep, and only 1 more re-write!


	9. Aftereffects

**Author's Note**: Since half of this chapter got deleted and given to a much earlier chapter, I was stuck with what to do. I decided to continue with Ryou and his new powers and body and more fan service :P

I thought it was weird how Ichigo was the ONLY one to have her infusion animal's traits. None of the others have animal parts popping out, why not Pudding? Zakuro? Mint? Lettuce? Hell, even Ryou?

I know it is for dramatic effect, but shouldn't Ryou have something different to his human form? Cause he sure ain't normal human. So of course, I'm going to correct that =^.^=

**Note:** I am Australian, and we have alternative ways of spelling certain words from America. Eg. Mum/Mom, -ise/-ize etc.

I know it is a major pain to do this, but please leave comments/reviews etc. because it **really** does cheer me up, knowing that this story is actually read and liked by people. **Thank you and sorry for all this!**

**Midori no Sukafu Arawareru: **Green Scarf, Appear (I had no creativity for his transformation phrase)

* * *

**Chapter 9**: After-effects

Ryou closed the door and leaned against it and let out a rough sigh. He just stood there for a few seconds before he collapsed to the ground. He knew that he left a trail of his blood on the door, he would've dismissed this before but the reek of blood filled his nose. He felt like he was stuck in a metal smelting plant, the strong metallic smell was impossible to escape. He snorted, shaking his head with disgust however it didn't help at all.

'I got to get rid of this now,' Ryou thought, motivating himself to get up. He took off his shirt, the scarlet plasma had seeped into the fabric, giving it the metallic smell and horrifically staining the white shirt. The stain wiped passed his lips, leaving behind the taste of his blood. He felt as if he had brushed his now super sensitive tongue over a corrugated rooftop, the taste lingering on the top of his mouth.

He observed himself in the mirror, bracing his arms on the sink. He was shocked at the amount of drying blood on his neck, the deep red colour had dripped down his now toned chest. His attention quickly went from the blood to his body structure. He looked normal enough, except for the muscles that rippled under his skin. They weren't like a body builder, not protruding out, bulging with power. He had lean muscles in his upper chest and his limbs. He then looked up at his face, and exhaled when he noticed nothing strange.

'Blue Eyes. Blonde Hair. Human ears and face structure…' He went checklist his old human features and was immediately relieved. 'At least I know that I don't look like a freak…' He thought but he noticed that the surface of his tongue felt coarser than before. He opened his mouth to find that his tongue was covered in little 'hairs', he ran a finger over them and noticed how they 'combed' his finger. He realised that his canine teeth had increased in size and sharpness.

'No time for this… I got to get rid of this smell…' He thought to himself and turned on the shower. He looked around the small bathroom that was in the basement. The white tiles extended up to the cream coloured ceiling and covered the floor. Ryou's bloody shirt did not in anyway improve the dull, sanitary white room.

'Why do I feel like a murderer in a insane asylum?' Ryou thought to himself and he stripped down and stepped into the shower. He thanked god that he wasn't half domestic cat, then bathing would become an impossible feat. He cringed at the idea of cleaning himself with his own tongue.

'Thank god I'm not like that,' Ryou thought. The warm water ran over his skin, soothing his muscles that slightly quivered from infusion. He could feel the blood thin out as water entered the dying red blood cells and ripped them apart. He watched the red water run across his body before disappearing down the drain. Ryou stood there and breathed in, and he was immediately relieved when the metallic smell was flooded out by the smell of the fresh water. He could hear it rush along the pipes in the walls before blasting onto his body. The glass walls contained the sound, so Ryou could hear the running water in the pipes, in the drain and his slowly calming breaths.

'I have to say,' Ryou thought to himself after checking out his body, 'The experiment went well… I still have my human appearance however I received heightened senses and the tongue of a cat and not to mention the sharpen teeth and' He stared at his fingernails, 'Finger...fingernails… And I do have my transformation into the cat…' He flinched for a second at the memory, 'I mean into Alto, I don't know how that really helps but it could come in handy…'.

Ryou started to wash himself and he cautiously tapped his neck to find that the injection site was clean and a layer of skin had already set in. Ryou put more pressure on the area, almost as if to convenience himself that it was already healed. He jumped out the shower and looked into the mirror again. The steam had billowed out and filled up the room, fogging up the mirror. Ryou wiped it with his wet hand and gazed at himself. He was met with ice blue eyes with thin, contracted slit-like pupils. He jumped back at this and let out a feline screech in shock, only for his bare, wet feet slid across the damp tiles.

He started to slide backwards and Ryou cringed, preparing his back for the impact of the hard tiles but an involuntary action sparked in his brain. His muscles jolted with power and his whole torso twisted around with such power that his whole body followed this action. His hands then surged with strenght and reached out forward. His hands went into a claw shape and Ryou felt his fingernails form more into claws, almost as if they were sheathed before. His hands hit the ground and started to slide along the water tiles however its claws caught onto the gaps between the tiles preventing him from sliding. His feet then gracefully hit the ground.

All of this happened in a single heartbeat.

Ryou took a deep breath and looked around. He stood up and watched his claws sheath back into slightly sharpened fingernails. He searched his body and it was back to what could be called 'normal'.

"I really just did that…" Ryou breathed out aloud. His heart began to thud with excitement. "I landed on my feet…". He couldn't help but grin at the feat he had just performed as he walked to the mirror again. He ignored the contracted pupils and focused on his neck to find that a scar had formed on the injection site in a matter of minutes. However, this is was not the most unusual and peculiar thing about the scar, it was in a specific shape. It was a circle however with a straight line pointing down from it and two triangles on top.

'Like a cat almost…' Ryou thought, 'Is this what they called the Mew Mark?' Ryou's brow lowered at this. "A Mew Mark… That sounds too girly, why not infusion scar? Infusion Mark?' Ryou trolled mentally before shaking his head, sending water droplet everywhere from his drenched hair.

"What else can I do?" Ryou thought aloud.

* * *

"This is insane…" Ryou murmured aloud as he walked out of the backdoor of the café. He took a deep breath, inhaling the night air. His nose was filled with the dry yet musty smell of rotting foliage on the ground. The smell of the city and the emissions made from it slammed into the back of his throat and left an almost acidic tingling on his raw throat. His ears twitched as he heard an owl take flight from a nearby tree, its old perch waved around in thin air.

Ryou glanced around, his dilated pupils scanning for any sign that people were around but Ryou was alone. He rubbed the mark on his neck as he pondered how to go about this.

'To transform… Do I just think about it or what?' Ryou thought, lost at how to trigger the transformation.

"Oh! That scarf, I need the scarf…" he exclaimed before his memory kicked in, "It disappeared into light… So do I have to call it?" He murmured to himself.

He then felt a strange feeling stir deep inside of him. It felt warm and overpowering, Ryou was confused at the way it spread up his body and how his lips started to move on their own accord.

"Midori no sukafu, Arawareru," Ryou muttered and a beam of lime green light appeared and started to wrap around his neck. Ryou was amazed at how warm the light was, it burned similar to a dull flame and radiated heat throughout him. Then the light dissipated to reveal the green scarf around his neck and with that Ryou's body began to transform. He braced himself for the pain however, it wasn't sharp stabbing pain like before, it was warm and calming and in a heartbeat he had metamorphosed into Alto.

Alto took a step forward, hoping that controlling the body wouldn't be difficult. He lucked out, it was as if he was born into this body and he could move around perfectly.

'Okay, let's see what I can do,' He thought to himself and his back leg muscles bunched up and with a powerful bound he ran off into the park.

His paws almost glided over the dew-covered grass, the water seeped into his fur but he didn't even notice this. Accelerating winds that coasted through his fur, he flattened his ears to his head and he lowered his body to make himself more streamlined.

He felt as if he would fly over the ground.

His heart thudded and pounded with excitement as he tried to gain even more momentum as he ran across the park. He spotted the large Japanese Maple tree that sat on an incline and towered above the park. The twigs and branches were beginning to sprout leaves as the warm weather began to set in. Alto had watched boys try to climb the tree before, they either fell out and cried or their mothers' would snatch them away. Alto huffed as he aimed for the tree and increased his speed to the point were his muscles burned with heat as blood pumped through them quicker than the blink of an eye. His lungs drew in air in short and quick breathes and he bounded up the slope toward the Maple.

His eyes flashed up the tree to the closest, lowest laying branch and he pack himself together before, with a powerful force, jumped into the tree. His claws unsheathed and locked him in place until he easily got himself balanced. He located the next branch and then the next, climbing up higher and higher.

He perched himself on the peak of the tree and took a few deep breaths as he looked around his surroundings. Even thought his breathing was slowing, his heart continued to pound as his body tingled with exhilaration. His paws itched to continue running across the park until he collapsed from exhaustion. The feeling was coiling up in his gut as he looked over the park and back to the café. Alto's body couldn't take the pressure and then he pointed his head to the sky and let out a deep cry, almost a cat-like howl that echoed around the park. He dropped his head and huffed.

'This is really amazing…' He thought to himself and began to watch the sleepy city and park. He thought back to experiment and pondered over why he was so hesitant about the Mew Project.

'So far it has only turned out good…' He thought to himself, 'However, they haven't been through what we have,' He realised.

'I had nothing to lose when I became like this however them on the other hand…' Ryou thought however when he snapped out of his thoughts he found himself cleaning a paw. His eyes widened at his and he pulled away.

'I'm going to have to work on controlling my natural instincts though,' He mentally noted to himself. He looked out of the tree, his tail flicked around happily, when a deep shudder passed through his body suddenly. His fur stood on edge and his body coiled together. He started up at the sky, half furious and half confused at what his instincts had felt.

Nothing was out of the ordinary however there was something. He felt something. He knew something was out there.

He bared his teeth and a threatening rumble emitted from his throat.

'This is it… What they were all sensing… They do know! We were right! The endangered animals have a bond with the Earth and they know something is terribly wrong.' Alto's more human side thought and he tried to subdue his feline instincts. After a while the shudder left and he was overcome by fatigue.

'Better head back…' He decided and looked down the tree to only find a maze of branches. A wave of human fear swarmed through him, making his fur stand up. He took a breath and observed his options.

'Don't make me stuck in his bloody thing! That's the last thing I would want, a fireman to save me… Keiichiro would never forget that…' He imagined Keiichiro's subtle mocking and sighed.

'I won't be the little cat stuck in a tree!' He thought and he looked down at the ground and flinched.

'This is probably gonna hurt…' he thought before he dropped from the branch. The air blasted against his body, giving him a few seconds of fear as he plunged to the ground. His front feet hit the ground and were quickly followed by his back feet. Pain coiled around his limbs however it was only a slight pain that wore away quickly. If Alto was Ryou, he would have a massive grin on his face that he survived a fall like that perfectly safe.

He took off back to the café, knowing that he had to talk about this to Keiichiro.

'I have to tell him to the start the project tomorrow!' He thought as he pelted towards the girly castle styled café that he reluctantly called home.

* * *

Ichigo lazed on her bed as her mind protested on reading the next chapter of the novel she was studying in National Language. The endless hum of the heater reverberated in her ears, creating an almost hypnotising sound. Ichigo's eyes lazily glanced around the room that was cloaked in darkness. The only light being her humble pink lamp that sat on her bedside table. Mixed with the hum of the heater was ceaseless ticking of her little alarm clock. Outside her window the thin moonlight fell into her room, and hardly lighted it up anything, keeping it in darkness. The casual car sounded, rushing past Ichigo's house before it disappeared. It was just a normal night for Ichigo.

'Maybe, Just if I close my eyes for a second," Ichigo pondered as her body begged for sleep. Her eyes ached as if large weights were digging into them, leaving her head heavy with pain as her body pleaded. The more she glanced around her dark room, the more it dimmed as her head fell into the comfortable darkness that embraced her body tightly like a loving mother calming her child. At this touch, her muscles relaxed, letting go of all the stress that had fallen upon her. Her body started to loosen into sleep but something interrupted her transition into her dream world.

"Momomiya-san you shouldn't disregard your studies like that," The honey-like voice snapped her awake, her nerves tingled with a wonderful chemical reaction. She sat up to find herself face to face with a figure near her window. They appeared to be ominous as the darkness covered them. Their broad shoulders and tall stature would seem threatening but to Ichigo, it created a feeling of calmness yet an excited tingle in her heart. The person walked towards Ichigo silently, their white, long-sleeved, button-up school shirt came into Ichigo's view along with the grey school pants.

'It's the boy's uniform from my school… It can't be!' She wondered as her brown covered book fell onto the floor. The boy's raven-black hair reflected the lamp's light as he walked up to it. He bent down and picked up the book and he placed it gently on her bedside table. He glanced at Ichigo with hazel eyes, full of mystery but soft as he gazed at the girl in front of him. Her pink eyes shone with amazement and shock and widened as the boy came into her complete view.

"Aoyama-kun!" Ichigo shrieked, Masaya, in reply, put his finger to his lips, signalling for Ichigo to hush. She slapped her hand over her mouth immediately obeying him but her nerves shook with a strange feeling and shock. He started to slightly chuckle like he had earlier today at her over-the-top reaction.

"Don't be so nervous Momomiya-san," He replied to her as he sat on her bed casually. Ichigo's heart began to flutter at how close her beloved was to her.

"But… But, how?" She stammered at him, "How did you get here? In my room? Why are you here?" Her words tumbled out of her mouth as shock filled her mind. It was as if a large ghoul had a frozen grip on her mind, freezing and controlling her mouth. He was only sitting less than a mere metre from her, she could feel the bed sinking near him under his body. She continued to look into his chocolate eyes and she briefly saw herself reflected in his eyes.

Her hair was out and it messily flicked out around her neck and cheeks. The corner of her eyes were full of yellow, chunky sleep and she was only in thick, long sleeved pyjamas that were creased and the top was loosely buttoned at the top. Embarrassment jumped into the confusion, both of them swirling about her mind, turning Ichigo into an incoherent mess.

"I'm so sorry! I look horrible! Let me-" Yet again Masaya signalled for her to calm down and smiled warmly at her.

'Why is he here? In my room? WHAT IS GOING ON?' She thought, her mind was rattled with confusion and now sleep was the last thing on her mind. It was replaced by something totally opposite…

"My room is a mess," She blurted out randomly. She knew it was to distract her but it only added to her embarrassment.

'Why must I act like a total spazz in front of him!' She mentally cursed herself, 'Wait… Why am I worrying about that? Why is he here?'

Masaya's eyes never once moved from her strawberry eyes., he continued to gaze deeply into her eyes, melting into her soul. Her heart burned with a chemical response, her heart fluttering to send oxygen to her muscles that would need the extra energy as they began to tremble with anticipation. Ichigo flinched at this reaction, she hadn't felt such a feeling before. It felt so exotic, so foreign yet so natural feeling. His eyes just melted her to the core, boiling her body up as her brain that controlled her organs replied to the chemical feelings of love and just melted her feelings of worry, confusion away and replacing it with love.

'What is happening to me?' Ichigo wondered as she felt the red blush prickle across her cheeks. Heat started to radiate of her body as shuffled closer to her, the closer he got, the more Ichigo's heart pounded.

"Just relax Momomiya-san," He whispered to her, "Or your parents will hear," he added.

'Hear? Hear what? ' Ichigo thought before his perfect scent lured her into forgetting her worries. It was a mix of sweet, expensive cologne and it just begged for Ichigo to lean closer to him, but she couldn't move while he continued to stare at her. His puppy-like eyes sent shivers down her spine as they just sent wonderful feelings of endearment to her. His lips moved into a perfect smile. With that, Ichigo's heart exploded in overdrive, her body turning into nothing but mush as she was subjected to Masaya's perfect smile. The confusion of why he was here was gone and just replaced by what you will call 'love'.

"Sorry, it is just…" Ichigo tried to explain herself and her strange actions but her mental processes had stopped, her body was just calling for one thing…

"Don't worry yourself Ichigo," He murmured, freezing Ichigo completely, leaving her vulnerable to Masaya.

His hand started to move towards her face, she could see the perfectly trimmed nails and each line in his knuckles. The long fingers hesitated for a second, he gazed deep into Ichigo's eyes before he continued. Ever so delicately, ever so slowly he moved his fingers to her cheek and he lightly brushed the hot skin with his fingertips…

"GOD YOU'RE SO COLD!" Ichigo jumped up as a cold sensation rushed over her skin, ridding herself of the overflowing heat that was once filling her body. Ichigo's eyes were wide open and she glanced around her room widely that was in total darkness except for her lamp that shone down on her pillow.

She was alone…

'A DREAM!' Ichigo mentally yelled, half in surprise and the other in frustration. Her heart was pounding loudly in her chest as her body's energy disappeared. She sat on her bed, totally bewildered by her dream that still lingered on her mind. She breathed deeply once or twice but her body was still excited by his breath, his scent and his smile.

"When did I fall asleep? I can't remember anything…" Ichigo murmured aloud. She lightly brushed her cheek as her heart fluttered at thought of her dream.

"It was so real…" She whispered, "I've ever had that before… What does it mean!" Ichigo collapsed on the bed and rolled on her stomach.

"I can't believe it, I had such an indecent dream! I've never done that before!" Ichigo cried into her pillow, "It could've been like a female wet dream! Am I turning into a pervert!" She wondered.

"I bet it's because of Moe from before…" Ichigo thought of the bittersweet hell she was put through at school. "Damn you Moe, you're turning me into a pervert!"

She rolled onto her side and noticed that her novel was on the floor, she leaned over and picked it up. She looked hopelessly at the progress that she had made today.

"Four pages, I could only read four pages," She whimpered, "I can't think about anything else apart from what happened today,".

The encounter earlier today with Masaya had ruined her productiveness for the rest of the evening, leaving her to space out about his chuckle, his lips that made that ever so flawless smile. Ichigo sighed and she couldn't help but smile at the close encounter they had.

"I guess it was worth it!" She giggled as she placed the book on the bedside table like Masaya had done in her dream and the flyer under it caught her attention. She glanced at it and remembered that the Biology teacher was handing them out at the school gate. He often talked about how he often volunteered with the Zoo nearby and so he was promoting their exhibition.

"Red Data Animals Exhibit, Opening this Saturday," It read in bold letters. Ichigo gulped and slipped under the covers. She relaxed and laid on her back so she could stare at her ceiling. Her heart fluttered with excitement and anxiety.

"Tomorrow, I can't chicken out… I have to ask him out to the exhibit… It's now or never," She pep talked to herself. She giggled as she imaged seeing her crush again, his dog-like brown eyes and the long bangs of black hair… Her heart fluttered and she squirmed in her bed.

'I will ask him out to the Red Data Animals exhibition and that day… That day will be amazing! He will be all to myself, he'll talk to me, smile at me and maybe even… Some romance will happen!' She began to giggle at the idea and squirmed around under her thick blankets as joy and excitement swarmed and buzzed in her muscles. If anything, this wasn't helping her fall asleep at all. She smiled warmly as she played out the plan in her head out.

'Saturday will be life-changing, I just know it!' She thought as she tried to fall asleep.

* * *

**ZoeyHoshi:** DRAMATIC IRONY IS GOOD! Honestly Shakespeare must a fetish for Dramatic Irony, all of his plays I've read/seen have it! Anyway, I got inspiration from the Warriors series and Watership Down for Alto's scene. I really love fantasy books involving sentient creatures and seeing their world.

**Ryou: **And after that?

**ZoeyHoshi:** I also love writing daydreams, cause we all have them :P And with this, re-writing is finished!


	10. The Lord Will Forgive

**Author's Note**: Double Digits! And nothing changed! Yay, but I'm not even up to the first chapter or episode! However, I am close to it, this chapter is the introduction of everyone's favourite model! I wasn't too sure if Zakuro was Catholic or Christian so at the moment, until I choose, she is one of the two…

**Note:** I am Australian, and we have alternative ways of spelling certain words from America. Eg. Mum/Mom, -ise/-ize etc.

I know it is a major pain to do this, but please leave comments/reviews etc. because it **really** does cheer me up, knowing that this story is actually read and liked by people. **Thank you and sorry for all this!**

**~Translation Notes~ (Murphy's law, just in case)**

Senpai: Honourific given to someone in a higher year or is experienced in a job.

Kohai: Opposite to Senpai. Honourific given to someone below you, or new to a job.

* * *

**Chapter 10: The lord will forgive**

The room was dark, the curtains shading the room from the morning sun. The teenage girl lightly stirred in the large king-size bed. From the ceiling, semi-transparent red material draped around the bed, only allowing the bed and its owner appear as a silhouette. The only sounds that echoed through the penthouse was the sound of sizzling bacon and eggs. The room was full of expensive and designer objects and materials. The closet was made of the strongest wood and finished with a deep dark lacker to make sure it wouldn't get scrapped on the long travel to the top floor of the skyscraper building in downtown Tokyo. Magnificent dressers, large flawless Persian rugs… Material objects that only the rich and famous possessed.

"Supermodel! Time for your breakfast! Rise and Shine! Up and Adam!" A deep male voice sounded. The young model rose up and stretched her arms, the silhouette created a seductive image of a beautiful girl waking after a night of thrills.

She yawned silently and got out of bed and walked out of her room. Her glossy purple hair bounced around her back, showing how healthy it was. Her glittering purple eyes were like cool opals, shimmering with youth. Even thought she was in a simple black tank top and baggy pjyama pants, she still looked like a beautiful star.

She walked into the large main room that was full of modern architecture. Long lounges made of leather, glass tables with matching chairs, the long plasma television screen that was building into the wall. Everything that she had wanted in her life, she finally had. One wall was made of wide windows that showed the blue sky and the sprawling and bustling city below them. In an ultra modern styled kitchen was a man in his late twenties. He had dark purple dark that flicked messily back with lighter streaked bangs sticking out in all directions. His wide chin was covered in dark stubble and he welcomed the teenage model with warm green eyes.

"Please don't call me supermodel," Zakuro told him flatly, "It sounds like sexual harassment,". The man's face fell at this remark but he quickly recomposed himself.

"Sexual harassment? Pah-leez!" He pouted childishly, "There are millions of women out in the world that want me so no matter what I do it couldn't be sexual harassment," He finished waving cooking utensils at Zakuro to prove his point.

"Some guardian you are," Zakuro bluntly told him, which made his lips stick out into a pouting position.

"That's the thanks I get after all I've done for you," He sighed and passed her a plate with Bacon and Eggs. Zakuro eyed at them before looked back at her guardian.

"Bacon and eggs?"

"Hey that stuff is nice, I'm not going full Japanese and eating fish and rice for breakfast!" He defended himself, "I need my orange juice, my eggs and my goddamn bacon…" he said with a drool. Zakuro laughed at his childishness and sat down to eat.

"So when are you heading off to school?" He asked her while he served himself. Zakuro glanced out the window before answering him.

"Soon, I want to visit the church before I head off," Zakuro uttered softly, the man just sat down opposite her and nodded, understanding instantly.

"Okay, just be careful, we only just got settled in but you know the paparazzi…" He warned her.

"David, you watch out too…" Zakuro echoed back, "It has been two years but they might storm you after or before your concert,"

"Nahh, I'll be fine, I'll just use my charm to get past them," He replied, Zakuro's face fell.

"Don't get arrested okay?"

"Again with the harassment…" David pouted as he picked up his knife and fork. Zakuro watched him for a second as a thought went through her head.

"You are never going to assimilate into Japanese Culture are you?" Zakuro half questioned yet half stated to him.

"What? What makes you say that?" He asked her.

"Well, firstly you are using a knife and fork," She pointed out, David in retaliation, picked up a rash of crispy bacon with his hand and shoved it in his mouth, "That doesn't score you any more points," She added to him. "Secondly, you bought a penthouse, underline penthouse, in a western-style apartment," She said while glancing around her new home. David went to open his mouth but Zakuro motioned for him to stay quiet.

"And, you are sticking to Western food when it is difficult to find them," She finished and waiting for his reply.

"I like rice," David stated.

'That's not a reply that is a statement and a fairly racist one at that…' Zakuro thought before finishing off her breakfast.

"Thank you for breakfast," She thanked David before putting her dirty dishes in the sink.

"Wow… The supermodel has complemented me…" David awed as Zakuro passed him. She lightly bonked him on the head in reply.

"Don't get used to that, you don't often deserve it," She added with a splash of a humourous tone to her voice. David smiled at this before he continued eating.

Zakuro dashed off into her room and opened her wardrobe and pulled out her uniform for the day. She sighed as she pulled off her pyjamas and put on her long sleeve white blouse. She folded down her collar and put on her gray vest.

"I wonder how they are doing?" She murmured aloud as she slid on her gray blazer. She grunted and violently put on her blacking stockings.

"Yeah, like they are thinking about me," She said, dismissing her thoughts, "I've got David now instead of them," She zipped up her matching gray, pleated skirt and slipped on her black school shoes. She picked up her shoulder bag, which she had already packed the night before and walked out of her room. David was washing the dishes, looking less like the famous rock star he was and more like a housewife or a maid.

"Why don't you get a maid to do that?" Zakuro asked him, "You need to work as well,". He turned off the hot running water, steam floating up into the air around him. He smiled at her and dried his hands with a towel.

"I had to climb up the social ladder to get where I am now, so I'm used to looking after myself," He explained, "Just like you," He added and flicked Zakuro's nose softly. She twisted her small nose at this action, like she was disgusted with the childish action.

"I'm not five," She threw back at him, "So please don't do that," and he just waved his finger at her.

"I am the adult here and you are my niece so I can do that," He laughed, Zakuro rolled her eyes and looked out of the window. David stopped laughing and smiled at her.

"Also, we are the outcasts of the family so we are family within a broken family," He added, Zakuro smiled at her uncle and she turned around to face the door.

"Anyway, I'm off now," She informed him.

"You're walking there? That's even more dangerous. Take the car instead," He told her, she just shook her head.

"No, I want to walk, I'll take the secret route I found," She told him and walked out of the door.

"I'm off," She announced as she opened the door.

"Have a good day," He replied, a worried tone in his voice but he simply gave up and walked back to the dishes.

* * *

Zakuro glanced around her and slipped on her sunglasses. Yes they hardly hid her but she hoped that her school uniform, the black void hiding her purple eyes and the thick braided ponytail that she just finished braiding would be enough to disguise her so she could reach the Western Church. She slipped into a shadowed, thin alleyway quickly and started to briskly walk. Her shoes clacked around the empty corridor, this comforted Zakuro a little as she couldn't hear signs of anyone waiting to storm her with questions and flashes. The downside to fame and fortune as David would say.

The darkness and shadows, Zakuro welcomed them, she needed the darkness to hide.

Zakuro just continued walking down the path and turned the corner. She occasionally glanced around to see if anyone was around or if anyone was following her. She shook her head, trying to clear the fog of worry and anxiety in her head.

The high-pitched, inorganic sound of a camera flash sounded. Zakuro froze and with lightning reaction, flicked her head around, sending her cheap sunglasses to the ground. She cursed and glanced around for the flashes and the cameras but the walkway was silent. She laughed nervously and walked to her broken sunglasses.

"I'm just get paranoid," She said. Another flash caught her eye, her purple gaze gazed down the walkway and she found, behind a large dumpster a middle-man man with a large camera, from his tall statue, she knew he was from America. Behind his large body was a skinny, red-head female reporter.

"Shit! I'm found!" She yelped quietly and started to walk off.

"Zakuro! Zakuro! Please tell us!" Another voice piped up from the other end of the alley. Zakuro glanced back to find a team of western reporters. Zakuro flinched back from this.

'For them to be like this… They must have found out about my parents…' She realised.

"What is the connection to your parents?" A man shouted to her, holding a note pad and an audio recorder. He rushed over to her and clicked the recorder.

"What do you say about your parents arrest and their successful bail?" The first female reporter asked, pushing the microphone into her face. Zakuro jerked back but another appeared at her side.

"Are you ashamed to be in the Fujiwara family?" The red-head asked. Zakuro walked back, but realised that she had gotten herself cornered. Like a pack of fierce lions or wild-dogs, staring down at her with hungry eyes, the reporters circled Zakuro.

'The only way to get rid of them is to give them what they want…' Zakuro knew this and opened her mouth.

"I have nothing to say about Mr. and Mrs. Fujiwara, they are not my parents and I do not know, or want to know, anything about them," She bluntly replied, using all of her anger of them into her voice. they furiously wrote down her quotes. She had a twisting feeling in her stomach at her words, but she dismissed it.

"What about your Uncle David Fujiwara?" They asked, Zakuro jerked back and glanced at them all.

"Their addiction made you which guardians right?" A male asked her.

"Are you afraid that this might affect your career?" Someone asked her, continuing to ask a barrage of questions.

'What they are so different to Japanese reporters? They aren't so pushy as Westerners!' Zakuro thought as they stepped closer to her.

"She answered your questions," A deep, stern male voice cut in. The reporters all gazed up at the newcomer.

"If you cannot see, she is on the way to school so let her go," The sixteen year old American male scolded them.

"Calum Senpai!*" Zakuro called out to him in greeting.

'I'm saved!' She thought. The reporters started to back off and Zakuro slipped past them and joined her schoolmate.

"Let's go Zakuro-san," He said with a charming smile as he picked up the bag from her shoulder. He slung it over his broad shoulder and he continued walking beside Zakuro. He shot an emotionless glance from deep blue eyes at the shocked reporters and paparazzi before they continued. The group of reporters slunk away, watching the two with lustful eyes, not satisfied at all. Zakuro glanced back at them as they disappeared in the alleyway and news vans.

"Don't do that or they will start up rumours that we are involved. It'll be bad for your church," Zakuro told him but he just shook his head, his flowing, neck length brown hair shook with the action.

"They won't, they were only interested in your parents," He stated. Zakuro's glance shot down to the ground at the remark. Calum's eyes flickered at this, noticing he had hit a hard topic, "Anyway, you're off to the church right? Let me take you," He smiled. Zakuro continued to look down but she slightly smiled and they walked off down the street.

"Why are they after me anyway? I heard them say something about bail…" Zakuro murmured. Calum closed his eyes in deep thought before he sighed.

"Sorry, but stop me if this is too painful," Calum told her, she just nodded back at him.

"Mr. Fujiwara, yesterday, was charged by police when he was found in possession of illicit drugs, such as Ice and Ecstasy. Mrs. Fujiwara then paid for his immediate bail with what is rumoured to be drug money…" Calum explained in a detached voice. Zakuro just nodded at him as a long silence enveloped them. It prickled at Calum's skin, creating small goose bumps on his upper arm. He glanced down at her to read her reaction but he couldn't see past her long locks of hair.

'Is she upset? Angry? What are you feeling Zakuro-san?' He wondered.

"You still hide yourself from the public Zakuro…" He noted, trying to create conversation.

"Aren't you the odd one though Calum Senpai?" Zakuro threw back at him, looking up at him. Calum just looked at her with a neutral gape.

"Normal civilians cling to light because that is our natural instinct, or what we learn. Light is safe. We are safest in light because we are under watch by everyone, we can see everyone but no one takes real notice of who you are, you are just a presence…" Zakuro pondered to him, "However we aren't normal people, we are more than that. We are the untouchable people, the ones they respect, ones that they wish they were… However they just disregard the one thing that they have. Privacy to live a normal life, to be normal." Zakuro stated to Calum, who was listening to his Kohai*.

"Yes, we are blessed but cursed…" Calum murmured aloud.

"So we must stick to the shadows, hidden by darkness. It is dangerous, we may be tempted by darkness but yet, we must be role-models to others. We cannot be ourselves…" Zakuro started uttering. They stopped in front of a sandstone church. A large spiral towered into the sky, with a small cross on top marking the religion of this beautifully built Western Church. The large circular window was filled with stained glass, creating an image of a holy figure with large wings spread out above their head.

"Zakuro, you are way to dark and negetive. You have to accept light and everyone, or you'll be, like you said, overcome with darkness," He smiled at her and he reached out with his large, soft hand and took her small pale hand, "Come inside, I want to thank the lord before we make our way to school," he told her. Zakuro felt her heart clench at this, his heat pulsating into her body. She controlled her emotions and just smiled as they walked up the large steps.

He pulled a large bronze key from his pocket and unlocked the large wooden doors that were brimmed with black iron bars. With an audible creek, the right door opened enough to let them in. They entered the small church, Calum let go of Zakuro's hand as he closed the door quietly as Zakuro walked down the aisle to the end of the church.

"Your father hasn't arrived yet?" Zakuro asked him, searching for the tall man clad in black with the priest's collar.

"No, he was visiting someone's house, he didn't give me the details…" Calum said walked up to her. Zakuro gazed up at the large stained window art of holy deities and large, pure white wings.

"So beautiful…" She murmured aloud as she dropped down onto her knees. Calum nodded his head in agreement and sat onto his knees as well. Both of them ducked their head down and placed their hands together and began their silent prayers to the lord. The morning light pierced through the stained windows creating a pool of light on the old red carpet and on the beautifully crafted pews.

'Lord, Our Heavenly Father… Thy who gives all things life, I thank you for the luck and happiness you have blessed me with. Yet, father, I have sinned… I cannot hold back horrible thoughts in my mind about my parents. No matter what I do my lord, I cannot forgive them. I try to, yet I cannot stop evil from escaping my thoughts… Please Lord, forgive me for my sins, forgive me my Lord and I beseech you Lord for protection with the holy spirit against evil spirits and thoughts that may enter my soul and mind. Please protect every soul… Through Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen,' She finished her pray and looked up at the sky through the large windows. She glanced at Calum who was still in the middle of his prayer. In the lack of light in the Church, his long gray school pants and blazer appeared to be black with his white button up shirt collar sticking up around his neck. He opened his cold blue eyes slowly as he finished his prayer and he turned to Zakuro.

"Finished?" He asked her, Zakuro nodded at him as he stood up.

"Calum Senpai?" Zakuro turned to him, "Does the lord truly forgive?" She asked. Behind her calm gaze and stone face, he could tell that she was worried.

"You're worried about holding a grudge against your parents?" Calum asked her, addressing Mr. and Mrs. Fujiwara as her parents for once. Zakuro glanced away for a millisecond, hurt at the phrase 'parents' before she nodded at him.

"You shouldn't worry, do as your heart tells you and follow it," Calum stated, "It may be clouded right now but you will know what to do," Zakuro just smiled in return at him.

"You sound like your father, you sure you don't want to be the next priest?" She asked him, he just closed his eyes and chuckled.

"No, that isn't the right path for me, he just brushed this onto me…" He explained before switching the topic, "Zakuro do not worry because the Lord forgive us all…"

"You sound just like him," She told him. He just started to walk out.

"We better get going to Tokyo Daisaino Academy," Calum informed her before they walked out of the silent church.

* * *

Lettuce sat down under the Kotatsu, slipping her feet under the warm blanket. She sighed as warmth ran up her legs and warmed up her body. She glanced at the pile of materials in front of her and little red sowing box. She breathed to herself as she tried to find her muse. She fondled with cloth, absorbing the texture and it's strength, trying to get any idea, any type of motivation.

"Remember what dad said!" Lettuce tried to pep talk herself, but it was an automatic fail. She sighed and laid down on the tatami* floor trying to think up of any type of idea for a doll.

Then her black mobile phone started to vibrate on the top of the kotatsu, she sat up and flipped the top of it up. On the little screen was a picture of a yellow envelope with little white wings. A little text box appeared below and Lettuce froze up when she read the text that appeared.

"It's from Yamaro-san…" She murmured. Her thumb hovered over the button of her phone to read the SMS she had received.

'They all have problems… They need me so…' Lettuce thought, remembering what her father had told her.

She pushed the button and read aloud the message.

"Lettuce, where are you? Are you ditching? Anyway, we are going to some Zoo to check out a Red data thingo, turn up around 10. It's near the park and Daisaino academy," She finished reading and she sat there for a second before she replied to them.

"Okay, I will be there." She wrote and she watched it as it was sent to Yamaro.

'Bullying is just a wall they create to hide their true self. They may seem like horrible people but they are normal people but with a problem,' Lettuce thought to herself, quoting her father from the previous night.

'So I will make them my friends… Because friends forgive others…' She thought to herself. She breathed in deeply and set her phone down. She glanced at the sowing box and opened it up.

* * *

**ZoeyHoshi:** Only one more introduction and I hardly did anything to this chapter! I just prettied it up =^.^=


	11. In Loco Parentis

**Author's Note**: In case anyone hasn't noticed, I spent most of my holidays re-writing chapters 1-8. Nothing as changed except for more scenes with Ichigo and Masaya and more with Ryou. Anywho, finished re-writes and it amazingly rid me of writer's block and onto the little Monkey's introduction!

I love Pudding, she is one of the only ones that would react like me if I was a mew mew. Be absolutely happy with my new powers! She is always happy and adorable yet can be naïve about the other mew's problems.

However, I always thought, 'Wouldn't social services be trying to get her and her siblings into a orphanage?' but then again this is Anime land where orphans are able to live alone! However, I'm putting just a little credibility into this =^.^=

Edit 21/11/11: Pudding now says Na No Da while talking. 3rd comes later on and explained why. Re Format etc.

**Note:** I am Australian, and we have alternative ways of spelling certain words from America. Eg. Mum/Mom, -ise/-ize etc.

I know it is a major pain to do this, but please leave comments/reviews etc. because it **really** does cheer me up, knowing that this story is actually read and liked by people. **Thank you and sorry for all this!**

* * *

**Chapter 11: ****In Loco Parentis**

The school bell sounded around an ordinary elementary school. Compared to other schools, it was a little run down and was the default school that any child could get into. However the new principal who sat in his office who would everyday fix everything so it was at the perfect angle, in the perfect place and everything thing in alphabetical and numerical order was determined to make the school as good as a private school. He tried to get funding for the school for improvements and tried to get perfect teachers to raise the standard of the school.

However the teachers and student made do with what they had.

The doors of the school opened up and children burst out the doors and started on their way home. Some children stayed behind for sporting events, the young P.E teacher running onto the field to supervise. He ran around with the young boys and girls until he was glomped by several hyperactive kids. Some children hung around the gates and the front door, scanning every car nearby, trying to find their parents.

"Bye Bye Sensei na no da!" A ten-year-old girl called out with a slight Chinese accent. She waved to the nearby teacher as she ran out of the open gate and along the red-brick fence that bordered the school. The sunlight made her short, scruffy yellow hair appear a blonde. Her yellow eyes sparkled with cheerfulness and optimism as she ran down the road.

"Pudding! Pudding! Wait up!" A voice called, Pudding turned to see a couple of schoolmates running towards her. Their nametags fluttered about on their red leather school bags.

"Sorry, I can't wait na no da!" Pudding called back. A friend of Puddng's face dropped.

"Why?" She asked, she looked funny with a front tooth missing, creating a large gap.

"I have to pick up my sister na no da! She gets lonely if I don't get there in time na no da!" She explained before waving goodbye to them.

"I can't leave her waiting na no da," Pudding murmured as she continued to run along the streets of Tokyo.

Pudding had a normal body structure of a 10-year-old, except her muscles were slightly toned, as if she exercised on a daily basis. She was dressed in a red, silk Chinese shirt and a knee-length pair of light blue denim shorts. Four little braids, that were at the base of the neck were tied up with tiny white ribbons, bounced around as she ran with a hoping, joyful gait. She had a long sleeved, white undershirt to keep her warm, however she felt used to the cold temperatures.

She dodged passed people flawlessly, never having to slow down at all. With one simple movement, she swerved effortlessly and continued down the street.

'What will I do after this na no da? I do have some homework, but I should check how much money I have for this week before Dad sends more money na no da?' Pudding thought to herself.

She drifted off as she tried to remember her father's appearance. She dug into the deepest shafts of her memory, trying to find a gold mine of hidden memories however she was as fortunate as a loner after the gold rush. She sighed and continued walking, giving up her search for memories.

'Well, if he is a stereotypical Chinese man, then I guess he would have slightly tanned skin since he travels outside frequently na no da. He would be strong then wouldn't he na no da? So strong build, maybe even like those Martial Art fighters in the Chinese movies na no da.' Pudding wondered to herself as she stopped and just started strolling, subconsciously moving around people. 'Black hair and strong body and maybe tall… however with how we are all going, I think he might be shorter than those people in the movies na no da. Hanacha, Chincha, Lucha and Honcha are probably all spitting images of father na no da…' She thought and sighed.

"Bu-Ling Huang," An adult spoke out in front of Pudding. Pudding was ripped from her thoughts immediately as she heard someone use her Chinese name with proper pronouncation. She looked up to see two people, female and male workers. The man, in his late forties, had a thick, expensive, gray and dark gray patterned suit jacket on with a light blue undershirt. He had a black tie that was tied perfectly and tucked in as if he was suited for a professional meeting or for modelling. He had matching suit pants and leather business shoes that looked as if he polished them every morning before walking to the train station to commute to work. The middle-aged woman had her dark gray hair pulled up into a single bun and had a similar business outfit to the man. Gray suit jacket with matching business skirt, blue shirt and black stockings with black high-heels. Pudding could see that they both had Chinese origins, both having deep, brown, slanted eyes and tanned skin.

The slight of these people made Pudding's heart thump.

Social Services. They had come again.

Pudding looked down at the ground and slowed her walking down, pretending not to notice them.

"I'm picking up my sister na no da," She muttered as she approached them, "Sorry, but I have to go na no da,".

"Who sent for you to pick her up? Your dear mother or father?" The man pointed out, making Pudding freeze. She looked down at the ground and the workers stepped closer to her.

"Bu-Ling, you know who we are right?" The woman asked her, Pudding remained quiet.

"Let's go to the park and talk," She offered, "The school will look after her for a while,".

Pudding remained frozen to the spot, she looked up at them and she knew she couldn't refuse them here. She considered screaming out aloud, getting peoples' attention. Although, everyone would know that they were social workers.

"Okay na no da…" Pudding answered and followed them to the nearby park.

* * *

"Here," The man handed out a hot drink from the nearby vending machine, "Watch out, it's hot," He warned her as she reached out for the can. Pudding shifted on the wooden seats in the gazebo, looking out at the children walking home from school either with friends or with parents. They frolicked around the large playground equipment, seeing who could jump to the further monkey bar, and sliding down on the slides in quick succession.

"How long has it been Bu-Ling?" The man asked her, noticing what she was watching.

"Call me Pudding na no da," Pudding said back,

'The only ones who call me Bu-Ling are mother and father na no da!' She thought to herself. The two people blinked at this, before continuing.

"Okay, sorry," The man coughed, "Pudding, how long as it been?"

"Since what na no da?" Pudding replied, knowing well what he was getting onto.

"Pudding," The woman said, "We are here to help," She smiled at Pudding, yet it didn't convince Pudding at all.

"Sorry, but just tell me who you are and why you are talking to me with my Chinese name," Pudding asked back, she felt bad at how she was treating the two adults but she knew deep down what this was about.

"We are social workers, working for the court," The man explained, this just proved Pudding's thoughts, "You already knew that didn't you?" He said. Pudding was amazed at how he picked this up but her feelings were as obvious as a pimple on the tip of the nose.

"We are in charge of legal protection for children, processing who becomes a ward and where to place them," The woman explained. Pudding looked at her, confusion and fear started to choke her shining optimism. The woman picked this up and carefully planned how to carry this out.

"A ward is someone who is placed with someone, goes into protection and the care of a legal guardian. However, if there is no one available, they become Ward of the Court," She explained and Pudding glanced down at the ground at this.

"Pudding, we know of your problem at home and we are here to help," The man said and knelt in front of her to get her eye contact. "It must be difficult on a ten-year-old like yourself, you have clean, cook, care for five younger siblings and still go to school,".

"Also Pudding," The woman added, "Under law, you cannot live by yourself under you pass the age of sixteen," She paused before she added more authority into her voice, "You have no legal guardian at home looking after you so far, so Pudding we have to sort this out,". Pudding shook her head, knowing what was coming. Panic began to convulse in her heart, her heartbeat had a shaking edge to it.

"Pudding, unless you have any family in Japan or you get a legal guardian, you will have to come with us and become a ward of the court, along with your siblings," The man explained. Pudding's hands trembled and she shook her head as her lip began to tremble. She coiled her muscles up and laid her feet on the ground, sending power down her legs and in one heartbeat she jumped over the social worker in front of her, as she landed she slipped the drink in her bag's drink holder, not wanting to insult the man or waste good food.

"Pudding!" They jumped up and turned to her. Pudding took in a breath to prevent her eyes from watering. She tried to control her erratic heartbeats and her harsh and shallow breaths. She clenched her fists up and stared back at the two.

"I have a legal guardian, I have a parent na no da!" She told them, "My mother may have passed on but she didn't leave me alone na no da. My father is still alive and sends me money and he will return home na no da," Pudding told the social workers.

"Pudding," The woman's face softened in an attempt to calm her down, "We haven't heard anything from him in a year, you need a guardian at home to care for you and provide for y-"

"He does provide for us na no da! He sends money for us to live on na no da," Pudding replied, "Yes it is tough but he does all he can for us na no da,"

"Bu-Ling," The man's voice deepened and went back to user her real name, "You have to come with us, sorry but it is the law,".

"I'm sorry na no da," Pudding apologised to them sincerely, "But, I promised my mother that I would look after my siblings and there is no way I would go into an orphanage and suffer more and see us get separated one by one na no da," She bowed to them, "Thank you but I am fine na no da,". Pudding then swiftly turned and bolted in the dense forest of the park.

"BU-LING!" The man yelled out after her as he began to chase her, "COME BACK!" however he stopped, not wanting to get this suit dirty and messy chasing after a 'troublesome' girl. Pudding used her skills to move about the trees and undergrowth swiftly, she slowed down and turned around to check if any one was in pursuit.

"Their gone, good na no da," She sighed and walked to the park wall. She jumped up, her hands gripping onto the top of the fence and she pulled herself up. She jumped down and took off to the kindergarten.

* * *

Pudding approached the buildings and breathed a sigh of relief when she saw that many children were still inside playing with barbie-like dolls, building blocks and lots of donated toys. Pudding could see Heicha playing with a friend, giggling as they stacked blocks. Pudding walked into the grounds and towards the front door, she continued to watch her little sister with her friends, her golden locks were starting to reach her eyelashes and her two braided plaits bounced around as she chased after a boy who had picked up a favourite toy of hers. Her brown eyes reminded Pudding of a puppy, full of innocent happiness yet a dash of impishness.

Pudding smiled at this and walked into the kindergarten. She was sighted by the young receptionist, who greeted her warmly.

"Pudding-san! Hello! You know where to find your sister," The young woman told Pudding. Pudding returned the greeting and walked off down the hall. The blue walls were covered in rainbow and cloud patterns, Pudding saw an old man scrubbing away at the wall were a child had decided to show of his creative talent in crayons. Pudding knocked on the yellow painted door and the slender and delicate kindergarten teacher answered.

"Yūshin-sensei, good day na no da," Pudding greeted her, the twenty-five year old woman smiled kindly at her.

"Good day to you too Pudding-chan," She replied, "I'll get Heicha-chan for you,". However this wasn't necessary because the little five-year-old had spotted her beloved sister and she ran up to Pudding.

"Onee-chan!" She called out and hugged Pudding. Pudding giggled at her sister but she didn't know to feel happy or sad that her voice sounded Japanese and nothing like Chinese. Pudding put these thoughts at the back of her head, knowing that in the end, her siblings should fit into their surroundings of their new home properly.

"Heicha, what do you say na no da?" Pudding said, her yellow eyes flicking at Yūshin-sensei. Heicha gasped and spun around and bowed to her teacher.

"Thank you sensei for taking care of me!" She smiled at the teacher.

"Thank you for being a good student Heicha-chan," Yūshin-sensei replied, her purple gaze flicked up to Pudding.

"Pudding, may I talk to you? Just to the gate," She asked gently, Pudding was taken back at this but nodded as she took Heicha's small hand in hers.

"What's wrong Yūshin-sensei na no da?" Pudding asked her as they walked to the gate.

"Pudding, have you heard from your father?" Yūshin-sensei asked.

"No…" Pudding replied slowly, "Not since mum was put in hospital na no da…".

"I'm worried Pudding, it may be easy for you now, but things will get harder for you," Yūshin-sensei said, looking down at Pudding, "I'm also worried that social services may come for you and your siblings," She murmured, however Heicha didn't understand the conversation so she watched the clouds with joy, picturing shapes in the clouds.

"Yeah na no da," Pudding didn't want to say that they were coming for her already, however the cat was out of the bag when the two workers appeared at the gate. Pudding stopped dead and her eyes widened at this.

'Oh no, not again na no da,' Pudding thought, her expression darkening. Yūshin-sensei sensed this and she bit her lip.

"Bu-Ling, you shouldn't have run off like that," The man sternly called out to Pudding, who took a step back. Yūshin-sensei's gaze hardened, and Pudding was amazed at how she went from a slender and delicate swan to a furious predator, her violet eyes staring them down. It was the first time that the brunette clad in a red top and gray skirt with a white apron, adorned with little yellow ducks looked intimidating.

"What business do you have with my student's family, may I ask?" Yūshin-sensei said, her question was courteous yet her emotion in her voice out-rightly betrayed her. The two looked surprise, and were at a loss for words.

"Excuse me sensei, but you must know of the family's situation, please let us talk it out with Pudding," The woman replied back, she had that professional smile yet Pudding could sense the ice crystals blowing in her words.

"You are processing her to become a Ward of the Court aren't you?" Yūshin-sensei retorted back at them. The woman gasped at this and coughed, getting back her poker face.

"Yes, she has no legal guardian at home so u-" The man started to say.

"Under Duty Of Care and In Loco Parentis and not to mention a neighbour of the Fong family, I qualify as temporary guardian until the return of a relative," Yūshin-sensei replied, using law terms and laws back at them. They were shocked that she knew such things.

"Yes, but only when they are on your premises," The man steadily responded.

"I knew the family well, I told Mrs. Fong that I would watch over the family until the master of the household returned," She crossed her arms stubbornly and gazed down at the two, "So, Pudding-chan has got a guardian until her father returns, " She summed up, "Now please leave my students' alone!" She commanded civilly and they reluctantly left.

"They did come after you," Yūshin-sensei broke the silence and she turned back to Pudding.

"Yeah, they have for the past few weeks but they usually leave after I mention how my father is sending money na no da…" Pudding explained to the teacher, "However, today they were onto me a lot more na no da…"

'I wonder if it has something to do with China na no da? They did both have Chinese descent na no da…' Pudding wondered before she focused back at Yūshin-sensei.

"Pudding-chan, I'm not a real guardian," She started, "I'm only acting under In Loco Parentis and vague promises to your mother, that won't hold them back forever, especially with your siblings getting older," She smiled at the young girl and Pudding was taken back at how it reminded Pudding of the warm embrace, the gentle smile that would swipe away all of her worries and the light brown eyes that watched over her lovingly, "If you need help, just ask Pudding-chan,"

* * *

"Onee-chan! Welcome home!" Four seven-year-old quadruplets announced, running out to met their big sister. If it wasn't for the way they tied the braid or small ponytail on their head, Pudding feared that she wouldn't be able to pick her brothers apart. They all had short black hair and tanned skin, so Pudding was certain they were images of her father.

"I'm home na no da," She replied as they all came running to her.

"What's for dinner? What's for dinner?" They all called out at her, overwhelming her.

"Hey it's still a while until dinner na no da!" She called back to them, "Get all the homework done first and then I'll get started on something na no da," She instructed her siblings. They all nodded and ran up the stairs of the traditional Chinese house. Pudding sighed and walked up the stairs and entered her room. She dropped her bag on the dropped clumsily and stumbled to her bed and collapsed onto it and curled up. She wished she could sleep away her memories of this afternoon but she ignored this and just rested as she worked out what to cook for dinner and then she would have to do homework and help her siblings wash themselves.

"Yūshin-sensei, you're too nice, I can look after myself na no da," She murmured as the teacher entered her mind, "I promised mum I would na no da,". This then made the image in her mind warp, the short brown hair turned into a deep purplish black and Chinese plaits were tied up at the back with traditional ornaments. The purple eyes were washed out and replaced with older and more mature brown eyes. Her face became longer and she smiled warmly.

'_Don't cry Bu-Ling, My precious Bu-Ling…'_ The image called out, using the voice that was hidden in Pudding's memory.

'Why, why do you look like my mum, Yūshin-sensei na no da?' Pudding thought to herself as she thought of her beloved mother. 'It's cruel but calming na no da…' Pudding realised as she closed her eyes tightly.

"Why did they have to make me think of them na no da?" Pudding said aloud into her bed. She was fine today but they had questioned her father and her mother.

'I'm not going to let them take anyone out of this house, I've managed it for two years almost, why come for us now na no da?' She knelt on her bed and sat there thinking about the social workers. She felt her throat tighten up but she shook her head.

'_You have to smile Bu-Ling, that is magical in itself…'_ Her mother's gentle yet frail voice 'reminded' her and she took a breath.

"I'll watch something on T.V na no da," She announced to herself to get her out of her room.

She ran down the stairs and to the main room. It had a polished wooden floor with a rug in the middle where a few large cushions sat near a small television set. There was a large cabinet along the wall with Martial Art trophies and belts from her father and herself. A long, old lounge wrapped along the North and East wall, its cushions folded from siblings pretending that the lounge equaled a wrestling ring or a make-shift pirate ship.

Pudding grabbed a thick blanket from the cabinet and sat down, curling up under the blanket. The television was already on and playing an episode of Mogeta, Pudding quickly got into the show and her worries were washed away. Hanacha and Lucha had quietly snuck into the room and started watching it. However they lost the act of subtly when they started to react the fights on the lounge during the ad break. Chincha and Honcha joined the fray, all laughing and quoting the characters. Heicha just imitated her sister and sat down next to her.

Then an advertisement showed up on screen. It showed many endangered animals in their habitats and in the zoo with zookeepers tending to them. The announcer started, talking about the mysteries of endangered animals and how we needed to understand and help them.

'Opening Saturday! Red Data Animal Exhibition!' A title came up with the official logo of an Iriomote Yamaneko.

"Cool! I wanna see elephants!" Lucha piped up.

"Wolves are better! They have sharp teeth!" Hanacha noted, and bit the air.

"Spiders are Beh-ter!" Chincha exclaimed while Heicha mumbled about monkeys. Pudding had a deep feeling inside, a longing, a purpose swirling in her heart. As if a whirlpool has started in her stomach and was mixing together the sense of adventure, need and determination.

'I have to go! I have to na no da!' She thought determinedly, 'Just think of all the money I could make na no da!' She almost drooled from the thought of showing off her new tricks. With a smile she bounced up and skipped to the cabinet. She pulled out a deflated ball and a few juggling objects.

'Better get practicing na no da!' She giggled to herself.

* * *

**Zoey Hoshi:** Another Fruits Basket allusion. I was thinking of another anime to allude to however I could only think of the strange Mogeta. Pudding was a little melancholy in this chapter, but I had to get the whole Social Services over and done with. I had to explain (mostly to myself and my logical boyfriend) how she is living by herself.

**Mint:** Sorry to pipe out of time, however I was wondering if you had forgotten about me?

**Zoey Hoshi:** No, no, we are back to you Mint, being snobbish and rebelling by… doing whatever you want so… now your just more spoilt :S


	12. Invitations

**Author's Note**: Getting closer and closer and from now on, everyone is set into their personalities and are walking towards the Red Data Animal Exhibition. I tried to get more into Zakuro's personality, its hard writing it since the Manga hardly focused on her at all but thankfully the anime gave her an episode or two and they were some of the best character episodes in Tokyo Mew Mew!

Not to mention, I played that punch scene over and over again =^.^= Anyway, back to the story!

**Note:** I am Australian, and we have alternative ways of spelling certain words from America. Eg. Mum/Mom, -ise/-ize etc.

I know it is a major pain to do this, but please leave comments/reviews etc. because it **really** does cheer me up, knowing that this story is actually read and liked by people. **Thank you and sorry for all this!**

* * *

**Chapter 12: Invitations **

"Swan lake, I saw that in Russia a few years back with mother and father," Madeline, one of Mint's friends explained. She looked every much out of place in Japan, with long, silky blonde curls falling around her waist and her thin face. Her cherry-red nails played around with a stubborn curl near her brown eyes. "It was truly beautiful, are you trying for the role of Odette?" She asked Mint who sat in the leather armchair, flicking through a thick textbook.

"Of course," Mint replied, "I am the most respected in the class," She pointed out, her azure eyes glittering. Madeline nodded at her in agreement as she flicked through the red-leather covered book in front of her. Mint stared out of the large, stainless steel framed windows, looking down onto the green, lush fields below. The ground-keepers turned off the sprinklers and moved them out of the way as sporting clubs started meeting up together.

Mint stood up and walked to the lines of mahogany bookshelves, searching for books detailing the Muromachi period of Japan, reading the numbers of the endless Dewey Decimal Classification system.

Her school shoes clacked on the gray titled floor as she slowly paced herself along the aisles of books.

Then she was overcome with the strange sensation, as if someone cracked an egg on top of her sapphire hair, the cool and trickling sensation running down her scalp and along the back of her neck. Her fists clenched as it slid down her spine and goose-bumps erupted on her neck.

'She is here again…' She thought and she turned around to find the small girl sitting on one of the library's armchairs, her Christmas themed coloured eyes bored into a thick encyclopedia that she laid in her lap. Mint walked up to her, determined to find out this strange feeling that was becoming a daily occurrence.

"I didn't think you would be at this school," Mint raised her voice, getting Hitomi's attention.

"Mint Ane-chan," Her eyes widened as Mint stopped in front of her, "So you found me, how did you anyway?" She titled her head in confusion. Mint opened her mouth before looking away.

"I was just walking by and I happened to see you," Mint lied, however Hitomi seemed to take it hook, line and sinker.

'I can't tell her those feelings, she might interpret it into something else," Mint thought irritably before her attention was casted back to Hitomi.

"Anyway, how long have you been going to this school? I can't image you've been here from the start of the year," Mint asked her, Hitomi's peculiar eyes darkened at this.

"So you know of my newly found wealth, not that it's a surprise," Hitomi shrugged her shoulders and sighed, "Everyone here knows me, it's quite annoying. I may as well stayed in my old school, at least I was accepted there by everyone, even if it was just because of my wealth, not shunned for being-"

"New Money," Mint finished her sentence, Hitomi smiled wistfully at this.

"So then, why are you talking to me then?" Hitomi asked Mint, "I used to be a 'commoner', so why are you talking to me?" Mint flinched at this, realising this fact. Mint closed her eyes and crossed her arms tightly.

"But you are our kind now," Mint said, turning her head to her side.

'Is that what he was on about?' Mint thought irritably about her father. She heard no response from Hitomi in front of her. She turned back to face her to find her finger tracing over a picture of a bird, its wings stretched out as it prepared to soar away.

"I hope they will all think that soon," She stated, not moving her eyes from the photograph of the bird.

"Well, if you would approach someone instead of looking at silly pictures of birds…" Mint pointed out aloud. Hitomi sighed, slumping her shoulders.

"Yes, but birds fasincate me," Hitomi replied as she flipped the page, "They are able to fly elegantly while we can't. Also they are one of the beautiful creatures that people seem to doubt their intelligence,".

Mint shuffled around as an uncomfortable silence encased them. Hitomi seemed to go back to her book, reading facts about birds before looking at the photographs of each species.

"Why have you been watching me?" Mint snapped Hitomi out of her trace, she looked up at Mint with her strange Strawberry and Mint eyes. She sighed silently and closed her book.

"Have you noticed it? I thought you just happened to see me," She asked but she didn't wait for a reply before continuing, "When my family became one of your kind, my mother was happy that she could fit in with the high-class of society without being looked down on, my mother is just like that,"

"I didn't ask for a life story," Mint retorted as Hitomi stood up.

"Yes, but you need opening and back story to be able to understand the full text," She threw back as she walked back to the animal section, motioning for Mint to follow, Mint rolled her eyes but reluctantly followed, "My mother is a ballerina, you must know that," She looked back at Mint who nodded back, "She has an untameable passion for ballet, she always has but she wants me to be just like her," Hitomi slipped the book into its place and proceeded to look for another book.

"Is that why you do ballet? Just because your mother says so?" Mint asked, a warm bubble began to grow in her heart.

"Yes, I couldn't care less to learn ballet, it's good exercise but I want to do something else with my life," Hitomi said, "However, my mother doesn't give me much of a choice,".

Even though Mint knew how upsetting and how much it controlled your life but the bubble of warmth popped, leaving her snug with happiness.

"Your just like me…" Mint murmured, Hitomi spun around confused, "Your just like me Hitomi,"

"What your forced into bal-" She started

"No, I love ballet but my father told me how to walk, how to talk and how to care after myself just like him, like a stuck up brat and he couldn't even give a-" Mint spilled out her words as fast as a leaking PB pipe but she stopped herself as she felt Hitomi's gaze burn into her.

"You had a fallout with your father?" Hitomi asked, Mint considered whether to cover up what she just said, not knowing how her classmates or teachers for that matter would react.

"Yes, last night," Mint slumped her shoulders, giving up but she slapped a hand on her chest and she looked at Hitomi, "But this is my decision, I'm not letting him do what he wants, and that's why I'm talking to you," Mint said but regretted the words that tumbled clumsy out of her mouth. Hitomi held her gaze with an emotionless gape.

"That's why you're talking to me?" She echoed, "So you were forbidden to talk to me before because-,"

"You were new money," Mint finished her statement, Hitomi gave a single, grunt-like laugh and looked back at the books.

"You know, I was forbidden to talk to you too Mint Ane-chan," Hitomi said, grabbing the full attention of Mint.

"What? Why?" Mint threw questions at Hitomi while trying to keep her voice down, "I thought they would want you to fit into society, want you to befriend higher class people to extend their network,". Mint froze as shock grabbed her around the neck, its icy hand burning goosebumps onto her skin.

'I sound a lot like my father…' She thought, horrified at this, she closed her eyes tightly as she locked it up in the deep, recesses of her mind.

"Because you're a threat to my 'ballet' career," Hitomi explained as she pulled out another book on birds before she faced Mint. "My mother wants me to be the best, to beat everyone and who is on top, the one and only Aizawa Mint. My mother views you as my rival when I see you as my sempai and my classmate," Hitomi explained.

"So therefore, talking to me was for the same reasons as me right now…" Mint echoed as Hitomi walked by. She stopped and turned back to Mint with a warm smile.

"Yes, I wanted to know you Mint Ane-chan and if it's the first step to defy my mother than it sure is an easy first step,".

"So, here we are, both defying our father and mother, what do we do next?" Mint piped up. Hitomi's smile widened at this and she walked back to her armchair.

"I know that your just as thrilled about birds as I am," She said sarcastically, which made Mint smile at this, "But there is an exhibition opening tomorrow on the Red Data Animal list," She sat down on the chair and glanced back at Mint.

"And what?"

"How about we both go together? You'll be around the 'commonfolk' which I'm pretty sure your father wouldn't like and by being together, I'm sure you'll enjoy it a lot more,".

Mint thought about this, unsure of what to make of it. The idea of it was appealing, knowing that doing this was a giant middle finger in her father's face but the idea of animals made her uncertain whether she would enjoy it.

'Oh well, I can always do some people watching, clumsy people always are fun to watch,' She thought.

"Okay then Hitomi, I'll go with you," Mint announced, causing Hitomi's Mint-Strawberry Crème eyes to light up with excitement, glittering with glee as her lips turned into a massive smile.

"Okay, let's exchange phone numbers and I'll send you a message with the meeting place," Hitomi said as she pulled out a blackberry, Mint pulled out her iPhone and they quickly got each others number.

"I better get back to work," Mint said as she turned her iPhone onto standby mode, "I'll see you later than Hitomi," She said walking off.

"Okay Mint-Ane-chan," Hitomi opened her book, "Take care," and Hitomi disappeared into the rows of bookcase aisles.

Mint sighed, her body felt lighter, as if talking to Hitomi had ripped away little iron ball weights that had tugged on her body.

"You've been gone for a while," Madeline said as Mint approached her. Mint sat back down and looked at her books.

"I forgot what I was looking for," She smiled as she picked up her pen. Madeline looked at her and noticed how Mint's cheeks were sightly flushed and her thin lips were in a slight smile.

"You look happier than before, did something happen?" she asked, placing her finger on her lips covered in red lipstick. Mint looked up at her, slight alarm rising in her gut.

"Really? You think so?" She asked, trying to sound natural but found it hard to act as if nothing happened. Madeline looked at her curiously before shrugging her small shoulders and going back to her work. Mint took a few breaths and tried to focus on the work in front of her.

"I better get everything done, so I don't lag behind in my studies and so I can relax tomorrow," She found herself smiling at the idea of tomorrow. She tried to swallow it down but as if she was sick, she couldn't keep her happiness down as she continued with her work.

* * *

"Red? You're serious Senpai?" Zakuro asked the boy as he put his deep blue electric guitar in its leather case. He glanced up at her as she sat on the spare chair in the music room. The way her purple hair rolled off her shoulders, her long fingers sat softly on top her slender, well-shaped thighs. She always looked as if Calum was about to furiously snap photos of her with a massive and bulky camera.

"Yeah, what's so bad about that?" He asked her.

"Red hair, what if it turns out horrible? You'll have to wait until it washes out you know," Zakuro paused for a second, "A fire truck red-head running the church, what an image," Zakuro smirked, Calum gave her a questioning look.

"I told you for the last time, I'm not taking over the church from my father," Calum said, locking his guitar case and he effortlessly slung it over his over his shoulder, "I act and I play my guitar, I don't know of any Christian Priests doing so," He said with a warm smile and reached his large hand out to Zakuro. She took his hand, slightly overwhelmed by the warmth that throbbed in her hand.

"Hey, you know if you keep acting like this to me, people are going to start saying things," Zakuro pointed out as she stood up with his help, letting go of his hand. He blinked at her, half in confusion but there was another emotion in there.

"Huh? Well, I'll just deny it," he stated simply, "But, I wouldn't mind playing the part of Zakuro's manbag," He laughed, Zakuro just smiled but rolled her eyes at him.

"If only it was that simple," She said as they left the music room.

They walked down the long corridor of Tokyo Daisaino Academy. However it appeared to look more like a business corridor, complete with a water cooler and potted plants. Tokyo Daisaino Academy was a place where scouts or representatives of the school found talented children or either children that believed they had the talent send in long submission forms, took an academic test and then followed by an interview and a performance of whatever their talent was. If the child was good, green-lighted in. It sounds impossible and ridiculous, for a school to have its own large concert hall that can sit around 3000 people, but not that Tokyo Daisaino Academy. The corridors were dotted with classrooms but entire floors were given to a specific talent. Soundproof music rooms with attached rooms were they could mix and edit their own music together. Halls were made for dancers, each with teachers that specified in one genre of dancing. Rooms were actors and actress practiced and to learn how to breathe, how to eat and how to live on screen and on the stage, in front of thousands of people. Rooms that were cluttered with clay, strange objects and canvases were paint was flicked around, creating art. With its other school for sporting talents, it was a place that crafted and shaped the future. The ones that will influence the artist world, the ones that will move people on television and the ones whose music will blasts into Japan's ears.

The ones who will appear on the media and their faces on posters grow in this academy.

Zakuro looked at the clock, knowing that soon her acting class will start. She looked back at her senpai who was being stared down by a couple of first years. Calum picked this up from the corner of his eye, he glanced back at them, getting shocked and wooed reactions. He smiled warmly at them, which only made the girls squeal with happiness before skipping off. Zakuro looked at him questionably at this action.

"What was that?" She asked him

"I don't often come to the junior's block, I should be at the senior's block right now, so I should please my fans every now and then," He explained

"You came here!" She pointed out

"True that, He laughed as they continued walking to the senior's block.

"Anyway, speaking of that, why did you come here?" She asked him, he glanced off, thinking before he slammed a fist onto his open palm.

"I remember now!" He announced.

"Please enlighten us,"

"Do you know of the Red Data Animal Exhibition?" He asked her, and with that completely confused Zakuro.

"What are you talking about? I thought it would be acting or church related," Zakuro echoed her confusions to him.

"It does have a bit to do with your career, it's called Public Appearance!" He stated to her.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, Zakuro," He said, leaning against the wall, staring into her purple eyes, "You still have problems appearing in public don't you?" He asked, Zakuro's heart thudded sickly before it calmed down, realising she wasn't in that setting at the moment.

"What about it? I got pounced on today by international reporters because of… that," Her voice dropped at the last word, Calum quickly dove in to save the conversation from leaning towards that.

"That was overseas media, the Japanese media will be more concerned on your return to Japan after two years in America so you have to promote yourself," He explained, "People will want to see you Zakuro, and if you turn up to events for good causes it will just improve your popularity," he finished.

"That is true," Zakuro said, thinking about it, "But why bring up some exhibition?" She asked him.

"Well, it is about endangered animals and has a few fund-raises towards the cause of saving these animals from extinction," He explained.

"Oh you mean the Red Data Animal list?" She realised her obliviousness to the title of the exhibition and mentally face-palmed herself. She knew it was a good idea, a longing in her blood wanted to help the innocent animals.

'Humans have done horrible things to them, if I go there, it will be a way of helping them and not to mention the Lord wants us to care for one another, that must apply to all of his living creatures… but…'

"I want to go, but they will be after me, they just found out that my parents are-" She stopped as a couple of students walked by. She waited for them to leave before continuing.

"My parents are drug addicts," She continued in a hushed voice, "The Media, Honest Japanese or not, they will want to speak to me over and over again…" Zakuro finished and leaned on the wall next to Calum. Calum sighed, and scratched his cheek.

"Well then, what if you went with someone?" He asked her.

"What, if I wasn't alone?" Zakuro pondered and then smiled, "Maybe I would go,".

"But then wouldn't that be classified as a date?" Calum smiled at her, "Oh no! The horrible and fated paparazzi! It's after me!" He squealed, causing a throbbing vain appeared on Zakuro's forehead. She clenched her fist and with one swoop, smacked him on the arm. Pain seared up his upper arm, clinging around his muscles and tingling along his spine. Even though, he had felt worse he dramatically fell to the ground, his body toppling. A couple of people turned around, wondering if it was a fight. Some of Calum's fangirl's screamed and ran up to Zakuro.

"How dare you do that to Calum-sama-senpai!" One called out, teeth bared.

"Yeah, you bet-" Her words got caught in her throat as Zakuro turned to face them, her face stone cold, her eyes thin and burning with annoyance. They both took a step back, realising it was Zakuro Fujiwara that was standing there. They trembled, imagining the bashing they would get from the media and not to mention army of fans if they enraged Zakuro.

"Hey," She said to them, making them cling to each other, "If you would stop drooling over him, you would see he is acting," She pointed out as Calum kneeled, a dramatic background appearing behind him.

"You may punch me, knock me down and even spit on my face but no matter how much you bruise me you can ever hurt…" He started up his little speech as he stood up, back to them all, he spun around, his eyes blazing with passion, "My Pride!" He finished, confetti appearing mysteriously. The fangirls cheered and clapped, one falling over as her nose began to bleed for no reason. Zakuro sighed and started to walk off.

"Hey, where you going?" Calum asked her, following her.

"Somewhere where I don't have to put up with a stupid senpai!" She retorted, walking off quicker. Calum with a few large bounds from his long legs caught up to her. He grabbed her delicate wrist and with a gentle yet powerful action spun her around to face him. Zakuro's gasp got stuck in her throat, not thinking that Calum would do this. Her heart thudded, knowing every well this was a Manga cliché, especially in romantic comedies. Her eyes widened as her vision was filled by his long and matured face with strong, hard eyes boring into hers. It unnerved her as her heart quivered. His face loomed over hers, ever so closely. She could see every eyelash, every flick of yellow and green in his iris. She could feel his breath on her skin, gliding over it warmly, with the heavy scent of chocolate.

'If anyone sees this!' Zakuro thought however he drew his face away quickly, his eyes looking down at the gray carpet as they glittered over, hiding something. She glanced around and the invisible weight lifted off her chest when she found that the corridor was only inhabited by silence.

"I didn't get to finish what I was suggesting," he said to her. Zakuro took her hand from his and crossed her arms tightly.

"Spit it out then!"

"Why don't we go together?" He asked her, "I always wanted to help protect our biodiversity, not to mention it will promote me but it'll be dull without you around," He said putting his hands in his pockets. Zakuro stared at him as her heart gave one little burst of warmth, but it was so quick that Zakuro was wondering if she imagined it.

"Is this a date then Calum-senpai?" She laughed at him.

"Well, I guess the media would say that," Calum laughed, "But just you and me, what do you say? Let's get over your little 'fear'," He asked her just as the bell rang throughout the school. Voices began to rise as students began to walk into the corridor to their respective classes. Zakuro sighed and started to walk off.

"Sure, why not?" She gave in turning back to him, "But if it fails, you better make it up to me," She smiled at him.

"Okay, sure, I'll met you at the church tomorrow," he said as he walked off. Zakuro nodded at him before walking off to her class. She wondered about it as she sat down at her desk, in the right-hand corner at the back, looking out at the sprawling park below. The trees began to thrive with budding new leaves. Spring's warmth and touch bringing them back from their winter sleep.

'I know there was a new centre going up in the park, so it's somewhere nearby then?' She pondered and tried to find it. She sighed and looked at the front of the room, waiting for the teacher but she couldn't help but to gaze out of the window as she wondered about this 'experiment' tomorrow.

'Guess, I'll trust him, what is the worst that could happen?' Zakuro thought as the teacher walked into the room and she stood up to bow to him.

* * *

**Zoey Hoshi:** Now I'm up to episode 1 of Tokyo Mew Mew~! Woo! I can't believe I've stuck to this story for sooo long! Anyway, without any more time wasted, let's start on Chapter 13!


	13. Red Data

**Author's Note**: Here it is! This is it! Tokyo Mew Mew! First episode!

**Note:** I am Australian, and we have alternative ways of spelling certain words from America. Eg. Mum/Mom, -ise/-ize etc.

I know it is a major pain to do this, but please leave comments/reviews etc. because it **really** does cheer me up, knowing that this story is actually read and liked by people. **Thank you and sorry for all this!**

* * *

**Chapter 13: Red Data**

Ichigo fumbled with her hands that began to sweat as her heart was rattled and vibrated with anxiety. In front of her was him, the one and only Masaya Aoyama. He stood there, towering over her as his distant yet heartfelt hazel eyes watched her. He took a quick glance at the back door to the gymnasium, knowing very well that the Kendo team, no, not the team, the fangirls more than anything, are waiting for his arrival but he wasn't bothered by it at all as Ichigo's shy eyes trailed up his toned body to his face.

"I-I was wondering if tomorrow, well i-if you weren't doing anything…" She piped up, her heart rushing up her throat, echoing throughout her body. She froze for a second and her eyes caught sight of the observation deck on the gymnasium where she could see two little heads. A blonde and brunette angel watching from the heavens, however Ichigo knew they would turn into little devils if Masaya's answer was… no. Ichigo's breath wavered at the thought. All this for nothing.

'NO! I made it this far!' She thought, swallowing her heart and fear, hoping it would dissipate. She looked into his brown eyes as he watched with curiousity.

'I can do this!' Ichigo told herself mentally as a burst of adrenaline filled and mixed with courage roared through her.

"I was wondering if you wanted to go to the Red Data Animal exhibition with me tomorrow!" She asked, showing him the brochure. Her heartbeat stopped for a millisecond.

'Shoot! I really said it!' Her thoughts echoed throughout her head as Masaya's eyes widened for a second before he gained his composure again.

"You like animals Momomiya-san?" He half-asked, half-mused. Ichigo broke out of her shocked silence and nodded.

"Yes! They are very important to Earth and we should take better care of them!" She repeated her morning's worth of practiced lines. It was true but she had repeated it over and over again, trying to control her voice so it wouldn't be a squeak or a jumbled mess.

"Great! Sure thing Momomiya-san," He smiled at her. Ichigo froze as her heartbeat turned into a sonic boom, a quiver running from her head to her toes as energy filled it. Every cell vibrated, dancing with happiness as the yes echoed in her ears. Her skin felt like it had turned to stone yet at the same time, as if it was alive and trembling with life. Her heart exploded, causing her pale skin to blow up, to explode with colour. Her cheeks erupted into a bright red, its lava rushing down her chin and around her ears. It felt like her heart was evolving into a star as heat radiated off her.

'He said yes! HE SAID YES!' She realised but all she could do was stand there in utter shock.

"Shall we meet at the station?" Masaya asked her. Ichigo nodded at him, he held back a chuckle at her reaction as he bowed in farewell to her.

"I better go to practice, see you tomorrow Momomiya-san!" He smiled at her before rushing off to the door, waving to her as he went. Moe and Miwa rushed down the steps to Ichigo, who broke into a happiness that she had never felt in her entire life.

* * *

Masaya gazed out of the window of the train, the suburbs rushing by. Ichigo stared at him, a blush breaking out on her face before she let out a sigh.

'So much for the crowded train Moe!' Ichigo thought, 'Not like I wanted that to happen anyway!'.

The clean building was packed with people, yet it wasn't exploding with noise as crowds walked from one exhibit to the next. Ichigo looked at the map of the place as Masaya started to talk about the feline exhibit they were approaching.

"So many species, I didn't know that we had such an impact," Ichigo mused, however Masaya's acute hearing picked it up quickly.

"Poaching, land clearing and development all impact on these creatures," Masaya's voice dropped a little as his face hardened with disdain. Ichigo turned to him, but luckily he recovered his equanimity, "I didn't know you had an interest in this to be honest Momomiya-san," He smiled at her. She took a mental step back as her heart thudded at this.

'He smiled at me! I'm in heaven!' She thought as an uncontrollable smile appeared on her face.

"Well I knew that you like animals and the environment so I thought it was a good opportunity to get to know you!" Ichigo quickly said, Masaya looked at her in confusion, not picking up her jumbled words.

"What did you say Momomiya-san?" He asked her and Ichigo realised what she said. She tried her best to refrain from spazzing out and quickly found a distraction.

"Ah! Look Aoyama-kun! The Iriomote Yamaneko!" She said, pointing to the well-know feline. He walked over to the exhibit as Ichigo breathed calmly, thanking the heavens for her quick recovery.

'I don't want him thinking I'm shallow now do I?' She thought to herself as she followed him.

"Momomiya-san do you know that there is only less than a hundred of these cats left in the wild?" He started up, Ichigo half listening and half daydreaming about him smiling at her some more. She watched his lips move as he talked, imagining how soft they must be, like a marsh-mellow. His eyes read through the information quickly, almost at an inhuman rate but Ichigo just stood there daydreaming.

* * *

"Hey Hitomi," Mint tapped Hitomi on the shoulder. Hitomi spun around from the owl she was reading about. Hitomi fit into the crowd with knee-high black socks and a blue and black striped dress with sleeves that stopped at her shoulders. Compared to Mint's light blue, ankle-length dress with little ribbons and lace around the top and short, puffy sleeves, everyone could easily tell that Mint was upper-class.

"What is it Mint?" Hitomi asked as Mint pointed to a girl in a frilly black top and white mini-skirt. Her large pigtails hid her face from sight but they could clearly tell she was staring lovingly at the boy in designer jeans and black and white jacket.

"He is absorbed into that," Hitomi noted, as Mint giggled.

"But she sure isn't," as they watched the boy smile at her and she awed at him in happiness. Mint grinned at Hitomi as she smiled in return.

"Shall we be cupids?" Hitomi smiled, Mint nodded in reply as they walked off to the hopeless couple.

* * *

Ichigo swooned over him as he smiled at her, his compliment echoing in her ears. She closed her eyes as she savoured this moment, her heart beating with excitement.

'This is the best! THIS IS THE BEST!' She thought as she opened her eyes to find no one in front of her. Panic rose up in her gut as she looked through the swarms of people.

"Aoyama-kun! Where are you!" Ichigo called out over the crowd.

"Momomiya-san, check out this snow leopard!" He called out to her as Ichigo tried to cut through the crowd of people however she didn't see a blonde girl in a ponytail run in front of her, her thick shoes knocking over Ichigo's ankle.

Ichigo felt herself become unstable, her ankle hitting a thick shoe. She waved her arms around in a feeble attempt to stablise herself, her voice wailing out in the process. Masaya turned around at this and ran towards her, a strange feeling stir in his gut, it felt like stone.

'What is this?' He thought before controlling it, 'I can't let her fal-' He thought when her body toppled onto his.

Ichigo's lips crashed into a soft and warm surface and it was perfectly shaped into hers, as if the mold used to make hers. Her eyes sparkled with embarrassment and delight as her strawberry eyes saw nothing but Masaya's shocked puppy gaze. Masaya felt two small yet soft and squishy objects fall onto his toned chest. A strange feeling rushed down his body as they flattened into him. His blood roared with an urge that he had never felt before as his lips melted as Ichigo's fell into them. They felt so hot but so smooth that he didn't want to pull away. His back fell onto the white tiled floor and Ichigo's body squashed into his. Unfortunately or fortunately, Masaya's leg was bent up, which was where Ichigo's nether regions were, hovering over his thigh. Ichigo pushed herself up, in the process, smashing her panties into his tight and sliding down onto Masaya's crotch area.

"I'm so sorry!" Ichigo squealed at Masaya as her heart pumped blood around her body. Her lips tingled with his warmth and gentle touch lingered on them.

'My first kiss, this is just like those Manga books! I didn't know it existed! The legendary accidental first kiss!' Ichigo thought as she felt a strange pressure build up against her buttocks.

Masaya laid there, his body reeling with warm and fuzzy emotions. His lips swarmed with heat as his heart fluttered like a butterfly. Yet, among this, there was a dark and twisted feeling in his crotch as his 'friend' started to get excited. A blush began to appear on his cheek as he tried to stop being so trigger-happy. He tried to sit up and calm himself down but his thigh slammed into Ichigo's back, forcing her sweet spot into his crotch more, to his disgusted delight. Ichigo yelped at this quietly, feeling her sensitive spot grind against the denim. She felt her panties stick to her nether regions as a strange fluid began to seep out. Ichigo in a few seconds jumped to her feet, in the process, her white skirt swirled around her waist leaving Masaya on the ground. He sat there, struggling to fight his natural, manly urges while the brief image of Ichigo's red cherry panties reeling in his mind.

'I can't believe I'm being reduced to this!' He thought to himself, 'I can't control these urges! I never had it this bad before!' He thought as he stood up as Ichigo checked through her purse for a tissue.

'Is that a wet patch?' He wondered as he swore he saw a wet dot on his pants however he dismissed it as Ichigo motioned a tissue to Masaya.

"I'm so sorry! I'm SO SORRY!" She bowed repeatedly yet she couldn't hold back a smile from her flushed face. Masaya looked at the tissue before he gently rejected it.

"Its not recycled Momomiya-san," he said, sensing Ichigo was mentally face-palming, but it was just a hunch of his.

'Not like it was a horrible experience,' He thought as his 'friend' start to rush with blood, 'Not you again,' He mentally growled and control his emotions to prevent it.

"Mint, we over did it," Hitomi said, her face flushed with embarrassment at what she caused as Mint walked up to the two, pulling out her handkerchief out of her panda-shaped purse. With her kind smile, she motioned it to Masaya and Ichigo.

"Here," She said with a gentle tone. They stared at her, amazed at someone of high social class was helping them.

"Thank you so very much," Ichigo said bowing, Mint turned around and started to walk back before she turned to Ichigo and sneered at her with amusement. Ichigo blinked at it, confused at what happened before Masaya tapped her on the shoulder.

"This is made from recycled fibres Ichigo! This is a prime example of things we have to do to save the environment!" he explained, showing off the handkerchief like a relic as Ichigo mentally face-fell.

Ichigo jumped out of the photo booth, running to collect them. Masaya followed her smiling. He was amazed how one little photo could make her so happy. She picked them up and divided them up, giving Masaya his half.

'I wonder if he even wants it?' She wondered as he took his half, staring at it before putting it in his pocket, smiling to himself. They walked passed the auction, knowing that their parent's money wouldn't be enough to outbid anyone. They noticed that a few people were stopping, their mouth gaping open before getting out any device that could take a picture.

'I wonder what they are ogling at?' Ichigo wondered as they walked by, 'Maybe there's a celebrity here?' but she didn't think of it as Masaya opened the door for her, smiling at her. She blushed as she shyly walked through the door, bowing and thanking him quietly. They walked out of the building as the radiant sunlight poured onto them. Ichigo looked up at the sky, amazed at how blue the sky was and not a single cloud threatened to block the sun. Ichigo stretched after being locked up in the crowded building all morning.

'Why didn't we go just to the park? It's so nice today and I spent the morning indoors!' Ichigo thought but shook it off as they walked off into the park.

* * *

"Thank you for inviting me here today Momomiya-san," Masaya said, smiling at Ichigo, which still made her swoon like a little girl.

"No! I should be thanking you Aoyama-kun!" Ichigo replied, "I'm really happy that you came with me," She said as they walked to a little square in the park with a coffee stand and a large fountain in the middle. They walked over to some benches, both of them welcoming the relief to their feet. In one of the corners, a crowd of people gathered around as plates and circus equipment flew around in the air.

"You know Momomiya-san," Masaya started, "Today has made me sure of what to do after school," Ichigo stared at him, her large eyes staring at him curiously.

"What is it Aoyama-kun?"

"I want to become a Zoologist, or some kind of Biologist," He revealed, "I want to protect and help all the animals and creatures on this planet," He stood up and bowed to her, "Thanks to you, Momomiya-san, you have sent me on this path," He smiled at her, his eyes warm and glittering at her. She gasped at how brilliant he looked, wanting to cry out that he should be a model, yet, his ambitious motive struck a chord with Ichigo.

"Well, It's okay, I'm happy that you found out what you want to do with your life," She said back, still shocked at his perfect smile.

"I'll get us some drinks, just wait right there Momomiya-san," He said and he ran off to some vending machines. Ichigo watched him go and let out a sigh of contentment. She squirmed around with energy just bursting from her seems, giggling as her uncontrollable smile returned.

"I'm so happy that this happened!" She said aloud.

"Oh, where is your dense lover-boy?" Said Mint as she approached Ichigo. Hitomi was at her side and she bowed at Ichigo in apology, confusing Ichigo but it was quickly drowned by anger at the snobbish girl.

"He isn't dense! He isn't my…" She trailed off before the realization popped into her head, "Have you been spying on us!" She asked. Hitomi looked away with a straight, yet guilty looking face as Mint placed a finger on her cheek.

"Well, you are more interesting then the exhibits, " She said before Hitomi raised her eyebrows at her. Mint could feel her gaze burn into the back of her head, that trickling sensation but it was hotter and irritated her more than anything, "Well, some of the exhibits at least," She corrected herself, Hitomi smiling at this.

Ichigo's rage boiled to dangerous levels, veins popping up as she felt her teeth clench together.

"I'm not a show for you! Not your soap opera or Shoujo Anime!" Ichigo yelled back at Mint. Ichigo gazed off to her side, not wanting to look at her anymore when she found a strange building she had never seen before. It was a tall building that stood out against the trees, being a bright, fairy pink. Hitomi and Mint followed her gaze and stared at the girly castle-like structure.

"That's the new café," Hitomi said, knowing Mint would ask her, "I heard its going to open soon," Ichigo's ears picked this up and she squealed with delight.

"A new café! I should ask Aoyama-kun to take me there when it opens," She shimmied around with girlish cheerfulness. Mint and Hitomi both thought he same thing.

'No straight man would be caught alive in that building, must have been built by some lonely person,' They both thought.

"True love," Mint sighed, "Tis truly a difficult frontier, not one I expect you to conquer," Mint teased Ichigo. Ichigo's good spirits were replaced with anger as she hissed back at the blue-haired girl. Hitomi couldn't help a little grin appearing on her face but she secretly wished Mint would tone it down.

"You…" She growled, "Stop ruining my daydream!" Ichigo yelled back.

"You're such a stupid girl! You're really pissing me off!" A vulgar voice rose up, full of anger and resentment.

"Yeah, you're-" Ichigo went to reply to Mint when she realised that someone of Mint's standing would not use such language. Mint and Hitomi were frowning at something in the distance.

"But, you said you wanted coffee," Lettuce's quivering voice sounded as she stared at Jibae-san who had smashed her coffee onto the ground. Lettuce watched it seep into the ground, just watching her money go down with it.

"It's hot now! Why would we want coffee you moron?" Jibae-san yelled back at her snatching the tray of coffees from Lettuce's shaking hands.

'Why did I come here… It just happened again…' Lettuce thought to herself, 'But it's just because they have troubles… right?' Lettuce thought as she watched Jibae-san slam the tray onto the ground like a little girl having an inappropriate tantrum. Lettuce watched the coffee spill out on the ground but two flimsy hands forcefully clutched Lettuce's wrists and with one robust and violent move, pushed Lettuce down onto the ground as tears began to fall from her emerald eyes.

'I said that I wouldn't cry…' She thought to herself as she fell to the ground.

"It's boiling hot!" Yamaro-san piped in.

"We changed our minds!" Abe-san finished her sentence. They all looked down on Lettuce who shrunk into a small ball on the ground as she cried out apologies to them. Her white dress clung to her curvy body as she clutched onto her green overcoat.

"Someone has to help that poor girl!" Ichigo cried out as she rushed over to the commotion when an orange and yellow ball rushed through the crowd effortlessly and jumped over Lettuce with little effort. The girl was very young, still in primary and was obviously of Chinese descent with her facial structure and her orange silk Chinese shirt and matching thin shorts to match.

"Pick on someone your own size na no da!" Pudding yelled at the bullies, blocking them from Lettuce with her out stretched arms. The three girls took a step back, not expecting someone to come to Lettuce's defence. Jibae-san smirked and walked up to Pudding.

"You're an undersized brat, and if you were old enough to understand, you would see that we're-"

"A bunch of ugly, old hags that evolved from bats na no da!" Pudding bluntly yelled at them, "Gutless old hags na no da!" She repeated to them as they stood there, anger levels rising as an audible grating rose up.

"Why you fucking brat!" Jibae-san yelled and went to slap Pudding in the face but Pudding quickly jumped over the ripped tank top and ripped, cheap, skinny jeans wearing drop kick and dropped behind her as she slapped the air. Abe-san growled and reached for Pudding's hair but Pudding effortlessly dodged. Ichigo ran up to Lettuce and took her hands.

"Are you okay?" She said as she helped her up and moved her out of the way. Lettuce stared at Ichigo with large, watery eyes as Mint and Hitomi came over.

"I can't believe it, bullying in public," Hitomi hissed, "It can be like this," She added to Mint who nodded before asking if Lettuce was okay.

'Who are these people? Why are they helping me?' Lettuce thought as she turned back to the three girls. Yamaro-san had backed off and Pudding softly swung her foot around, slamming it into Abe-san's bottom, sending her flying into Jibae-san's back. Pudding giggled as they fell to the ground and jumped onto a closed bin, bunching up her muscles and springing on top of the public toilets and with a little run up, she sprung on top of the lamppost while her previous audience applauded Pudding, putting money into her bowl.

Jibae-san and Abe-san glared at Pudding on top of the lamp, growling and seething with anger.

"That monkey brat!" Abe-san hissed as she stood up.

"This is all Lettuce's fault!" Yamaro-san piped out, glaring back at Lettuce. Lettuce flinched in fear as three hate-filled gazes fell upon her.

"Yeah it's al-" Yamaro started to say when an unyielding grip fastened around her wrist and with one moment, her hand was flicked back uncomfortably, on the boarder of painfully, as it was stretched up into the air.

"All your fault I think, you'll find" Zakuro's hissed entered her ear. It was as soft as sand yet as sharp as needles. Mint gasped as she saw the long purple hair and shined in the sunlight and the perfect yet harsh purple eyes that were framed by glossy, long eyelashes. The purple dress that flowed around her ankles yet she was sown into it as it clung to her curves. A purple and blue shawl hung off her pale shoulders perfectly. Even thought her face was hard with anger, she was still stunning.

"Onee-sama!" Mint swooned as Hitomi and Ichigo looked at her confused.

'A fan-girl of Zakuro?' They thought yet Hitomi was embarrassed as her heart thudded sickly once or twice.

'I hope I don't come off like that,' She thought as Calum appeared with tight fitting black shirt, black choker and leather wristbands complete with ripped and baggy jeans. His brown hair shone with its new red highlights and tips and he scorned the two girls in front of them.

"Picking on your friend, how I loathe girls like you," Zakuro hissed at them.

"Truly unfortunate that people must bully such fair and nice people," Calum sneered at the two who took a step back at how such a famous rising star was scorning them. Hatred began to burn out as the strongest emotion came through.

Fear.

"It is truly upsetting," Masaya's voice piped up as he returned with the two drinks in hand. The three girls stared at him, hoping someone might come to their rescue, "It's unfortunate that these kind of people continue to be extant," He ridiculed them, his face hard with anger and disbelief. The three girls looked around, their eyes widening with fear as Yamaro-san began to stir, trying to yank her hand free as Abe-san and Jibae-san ran off onto a deserted path, not saying another word. Zakuro with a grunt let go of Yamaro's hand and watched her run after them like a whimpering dog. Pudding slid down the post and ran up to Lettuce who was dumbfounded at what had just happened.

"Are you okay na no da?" Pudding asked with deep concern. Lettuce was taken back by this for a second, unsure how to react.

"I'm fine, but I better apologise to them soon…" She said, gazing down at the ground.

"Don't apologise," Zakuro stated as she walked over, much to Mint's happiness as she fawned over the supermodel.

"That's right, don't go near them!" Calum said to her but Lettuce didn't reply. Masaya walked up, giving Ichigo a can of juice.

"I saw that you helped," Masaya said, "That was brave and the right thing to do Momomiya-san, I'm glad that you are who you are, not like those girls," She smiled at her as Ichigo's face exploded as her heart fluttered at Masaya's comment.

'He complimented me again!' She thought as she mentally danced with joy.

"Oh! this is love I'm seeing na no da?" Pudding giggled, making Ichigo's blush explode uncontrollably like Green Flu while Masaya felt a small jump in his heart at this. Hitomi and Mint smiled at this, Hitomi smiling at Pudding.

"I like this kid!" Hitomi said aloud. Pudding smiled and wrapped her arms around Hitomi's waist.

"Well I like everyone na no da!" She replied, then moving onto giving Lettuce a hug, making her eyes water up again as the friendly aura pulsated to her core. Lettuce sat there, debating whether to hug her back when Zakuro turned to Calum.

"Let's keep going," She said, Calum nodding. Alarm ran up Mint's gut at these words.

"W-Wait! Let's hang out Onee-sama!" She pleaded the superstar. Zakuro stared at the young girl with confusion.

"I think you have a fan," Calum said to Zakuro who froze up.

"You were so cool back there!" Mint said, complimenting Zakuro. Calum grinned and started to nudge Zakuro on the upper-arm with his elbow.

"Told you that you had to come," Calum whispered, Zakuro closed her eyes and looked off to the side.

"Okay, yeah," Zakuro snapped back at the smug Calum as Mint looked at her with adorning eyes.

"I can't believe what has happened today," Ichigo said to Masaya as she controlled her blushing, "I mean, what else could happen?" Masaya laughed this and shrugged.

"A lot, today isn't finished yet…" Masaya said. Almost, as if on cue silence fell over the group, then over the park as a rumbling sound started.

"What's that?" Lettuce asked as Pudding let go of her. They all looked around like wild-eyed rabbits, looking for the owl that had just hooted.

"It almost sounds like thunder na no da," Pudding said staring up at the sky.

"No, it sounds like its coming from the ground…" Hitomi murmured as the ground began to tremble.

They all stood there, dreading if it was the start of something as the trembling just increased as it began to shake the ground, the trees and all the stalls. Yet something felt different, as if a six sense told them that this wasn't normal.

"Earthquake!" Masaya yelled as screams and shouts of fear and shock rose above the park as the group of children and teenagers gazed around frightened. A boiling and stirring feeling grew in their gut that was screaming one thing.

'**This isn't normal,'**

"The Mew Project," Ryou said as the large, steel machine started to shake and screen lit up. Keiichiro and Ryou exchanged glances, Keiichiro looked at the new red cotton choker that sat over his mark. Ryou with one finger pull it down and ran it over the peculiar scar. He looked at one of the barrels of the machine.

'My Irimote Yamaneko's kin DNA is in this machine, I have to find her first!' Ryou thought, but he wondered if that was him saying that or Alto. Keiichiro looked up at the screens of DNA and took deep breath as Ryou's finger hovered over the main, red button.

"Father… Mother… Iriomote Yamaneko… I'm doing this now…" Ryou murmured as Keiichiro rested his hand on Ryou's shoulder. Ryou without hestiation hit the red button in front of him, "Mew Project Start,".

* * *

**Zoey Hoshi:** Holy! This was long! I really didn't mean for it to turn out so long but I'm so happy with it! I couldn't sleep until I finished it! Man, I'm gonna be tired at Extension English tomorrow but this was worth it!


	14. Start Awakening

**Author's Note**: It's show time! I'm so glad I explained the feeling of injection easier, so I don't have to repeat it over and over again! But, we will be going to someone's introduction and story. After all, its about time I showed our villains!

**Note:** I am Australian, and we have alternative ways of spelling certain words from America. Eg. Mum/Mom, -ise/-ize etc.

I know it is a major pain to do this, but please leave comments/reviews etc. because it **really** does cheer me up, knowing that this story is actually read and liked by people. **Thank you and sorry for all this!**

* * *

**Chapter 14: Start Awakening**

Ichigo watched the ground as it shook violently, her pink eyes watering up with fear. Masaya froze as he stared down in an almost sightless manor. Lettuce whimpered as Pudding looked around confused, fear starting to clamber up her spinal cord. Zakuro's hand instinctively reached out for Calum as he came closer to Zakuro. Zakuro wondered why she did this as she found slight relief in holding his hand. Mint slunk back next to Hitomi, gazing at her with large eyes.

The ground continued to tremble as an electrified sound blast echoed as the little cat statue perched on top of the café watched over the park. Its glassy eyes started to glow as the infusion machine below it let out a forceful blast, pouring out of the eyes and into the sky. The light was like a shockwave, blasting out from the café but it quickly found its target.

Ichigo watched as the sandy coloured pavement below her began to flood with shining light. She stared at it in amazed terror, shining warmth running up her legs with a gentle gale. Her skirt fluttered around as everyone else noticed the glowing pool beneath their feet. Zakuro just gazed at it, her hand's grip tightening as Lettuce's whine was caught in her throat by the net of fear.

"This isn't an earthquake!" Masaya yelled out aloud as a cold feeling stirred in his body, like ocean water on the brink of freezing over oozing into his blood. The light gave of more heat, giving Masaya an uncomfortable feeling. He tensed up, closing his eyes tightly as the paradox continued to overrun him. Calum stepped back, shielding his eyes from the light as its gentle warmth caressed him. Hitomi's fingers and skin trembled as the light poured over it. She stared at the pool on the ground, her eyes felt as if they were peeled open after being closed for centuries. The light slowly died out as the ground stopped trembling, the earthquake settling down. The group stood still as the strange earthquake disappeared and the light just receded back into the ground. Masaya opened his eyes and moved his hands in front of his face to make sure if this was reality.

"What was that?" He murmured as Ichigo's knees bent forward sending her body to the ground. Masaya dropped down next to her, holding her up as alarm ran under his skin. He could hear her heavy breathing and her eyes were naturally closed, not squeezed tightly by force. She was unconscious but alive thankfully.

"Momomiy-" He started to call out before he was drowned out by Hitomi.

"MINT ANE-CHAN!" Hitomi screamed as Mint fell to the ground, and followed by Lettuce and Pudding, their bodies entangled together on the ground. Hitomi checked Mint and sighed as she found her breathing, checking Lettuce and Pudding next. Zakuro's knees bent forward like Ichigo's, her body leaning forward but Calum was still holding her hand so he struggled to keep her up, with a sweeping action, swinging her limp body into his.

"What is wrong with them? Fainted from shock?" Calum asked the two remaining teenagers as the five girls fell into a strange darkness.

* * *

'Where… where am I?' Ichigo thought as she looked around to only see a black void. She curled up into a ball to feel bare skin against skin. She looked at her body to find she was completely naked.

'What happened? Where is Aoyama-kun!' She thought as a light appeared in the void. It turned from a small ball of light into a faint outline of a kitten. Ichigo stared at it curiously as the picture from the exhibit showed up in her mind.

'Iriomote Yamaneko?' She thought as she put her hand down to pet it. The Iriomote Yamaneko however pounced on her with great force, sending Ichigo onto her back. Ichigo looked at the young brown kitten as it trailed down her naked body and looked at her exposed left inner thigh. The kitten then rose its paw up into the air and with a audible swoosh, brought its long claws down and scratched open Ichigo's leg. Ichigo let out a scream as pain seared around the wound but then something starting drifting into her blood. She looked down as the kitten had turned from gentle light into deep, dark blood. Ichigo's screams stopped as the warm blood starting seeping into her skin, increasing in rate as the cat disappeared into the mark.

Mint yelled in horror as she felt the lorikeet's claws tore away at her flesh, its bloody wings slapping against her back, the tepid blood flowing through her veins. Mint's screams stopped as the placid yet slight destructive chromosomes entered her cells.

Lettuce watched with large jade eyes as the rotund porpoise slid into her body, her and its blood trickling down her bust and stomach. Yet she brought her hands up to her bloody chest as her heart began to throb, the heat erupting in her.

Pudding held her bleeding forehead as her brain was racked with a strange force. The Golden Lion Tamarin's heat melting her cells away, destroying her 21 pairs of chromosomes. Her heart started to swell with heat as her skin began to crawl with warmth.

Zakuro looked down at her stomach, trying to search for the wolf that had stared her down and opened her stomach with its powerful claws. Her heart rate increased as her blood boiled, feeling like it would bubble over.

'It went inside me…' They all thought as their human heart gave one more final beat, exploding with heat from their donor animal's DNA.

'It somehow… feels nice…'

* * *

Far away, there is a small dwarf planet that does not know of the sun's warmth and kindness. Where a single human could not live through one year, dying of old age before they would turn one. The soil was unfertile as it was batted by frozen winds and dark nights that were four months long. The soil was packed together, held tightly by snow and ice, extending down into its core. This dwarf planet that cannot support life in its soil, all of its water is frozen in ice or snow and its atmosphere that is heavy in carbon dioxide and nitrogen and topped of with a thick layer of ozone. However, underground, this planet was alive. In a towering mountain range, covered in gray rocks and snow, a door crafted from ice and a strange iron-like material was just visible. This door led to a large network of tunnels and burrows, like a rabbit warren, except strange technology was packed into the rock-hard soil.

Small caves were used as homes for families, were large open caverns were filled with technology from an advanced race. This place was a temporary and harsh home for these creatures.

Several humanoid creatures gathered around a small garden, made up of wiry grasses, the roots desperately trying to leach water from the frozen ice particles. Their bare feet turned pale white as they walked on the frozen ground of the garden. They watched with wide, eyes that gave of a tiny glow as a little bud grew from a twisted and wiry vine that ran up from a large crack in the deep brown frozen soil and into the smallest crack of the solid soil roof. The creatures were all thin, sunken in cheeks and lean muscles showed through the sickly pale texture of their skin, they were all suffering from malnutrition. They looked human except for long, pointed, elfish ears and slanted eyes.

"I can't believe this…" One murmured, stepping back.

"This is what they talk about isn't?" Another one asked.

"Yes!" They exclaimed as a deep, midnight blue colouring appeared on the little bud that was surround by waxy, razor-shape jagged leaves, "This is the sign of his return!".

One of them ran out of the crowded and deeper into the underground society. Many of these elf-like people stared at him as he ran by, with a large smile painted on his face. He entered a room that had a dark gray titled floor and gray metal walls and roof, little lights flashing and strange numbers and symbols appearing on little black screens. He approached a metallic-like podium and stand that sat in the middle of the room. He ran his fingers over a touch sensor keyboard, the keys lighting up as he tapped them without looking. Then a little projector shot up a hologram of a screen, strange symbols filled the edges of the screen. An image of another elfish humanoid appeared, this time a strict and cruel looking young woman with dull, dark pink hair in four pigtails. She was in a strange uniform that easily separated her from the others.

"Yes, what is it?" Her voice sounded from the projection.

"It has happened!" He replied to her, "The Deep Flower is budding, our saviour is awakening," He reported, her eyes widened with shock.

"Are you positive?" She asked, "The Kaerufans have been living here in poverty for over a thousand years, we need to make sure it is time to strike," She reported to him.

"Yes, it is affirmative, Deep Blue-sama is about to awaken," He reported to her. She nodded, trying to control her emotions of joy.

"Okay understood," And she cut off communications. She sat behind a large curving bench covered with screens and touch sensors. She walked to the end of the small metallic room to a strange flat stone that was stuck to the wall. It was a black stone with strange carving on the side. On the top of the stone, there was a distinct image of a jellyfish-like creature. It had two long tentacles and two antennas on top of its body. She took a deep breath and let it out slowly, as if preparing for something. She put her left thumb in her mouth, under her two sets of canine teeth and tensed up as she bit down, biting into her skin until blood started to pour from it. She shivered at the pain, trying her best to hold back a shudder and a whimper of pain. She pulled it out and placed her thumb on the cold stone. It seared the wound, making her open her mouth in a silent wail of pain. She shook her head as her blood seeped into the stone and started to fill the carvings up with her deep, dark crimson blood. Soon, the stone began to heat up and she felt the strange feeling of her wound healing up, leaving behind a scar of two dots. She lifted up her thumb and watched a deep red, hot light was milked from the stone and along some glass pipes. She watched in utter amazement, the pain subsiding as a small smile appeared on her face.

"It is really happening…" She muttered as she walked back to her desk, knowing what she had to do now.

* * *

Even thought the planet's surface is frozen over, winds buffeting snow and freezing over rocks and stones. The deeper the tunnels went, the warmer it got, however the common Kaerufans wouldn't be allowed here, only a small minority got this privilege. At the deepest chamber of the cavern and tunnel network, semi-molten rock pooled around, its heat giving the cavern a hellish look. The rock that was still too cold to melt in its heat created amazing shapes and pathways. Standing in the middle of the room was a tall Kaerufan, his skin was slightly tanned from the heat that radiated of the molten rocks and its bright, orange glow it constantly gave off. He had massive, thick black boots on that protected his feet, a metal cap encasing the front of the shoe. He had a leather vest with a large collar and strange arrow symbols on it and matching leather pants with large, ceremonial belts on and the arrow symbol down the legs. His skin was healthy and rippled with powerful muscles under the skin. He, unlike the other Kaerufans, was perfectly healthy. He had extremely short black hair but two massive flicks from his forehead that ran down his face to his shoulders was coloured a deep colour that was a mix between a deep red and dark pink.

The sound of footsteps echoed around the cavern, the male Kaerufan turned around to face the young adult female that was walking towards him. She had long, flowing, pale green hair that trailed behind her as she walked with bare feet but had a strange black cord that acting like a high-heel and she had a small cap around the front of her feet to prevent her skin from touching the ground. She had an inhuman sized bust that giggled around as she walked, the male watched with his yellow eyes as she approached him. She had a leather tube top, that was so low that it just barely covered her nipples. The top had the same strange arrow pattern and had a red, see-through shawl that wrapped around her thin, pale arms. She had a skirt that was split at the front, showing off her left leg, the back of the skirt wrapping around it in arrow shapes. The skirt was split in such way so it just covered her privates and clung to her right and left legs. The tube top was held up by a leather strip that sent in between her breasts, making them all the more defined, connecting to a leather and lace choker. She would make any man, who wasn't loyal to a woman, bow to her, watching her curvy and sensual body but one thing about her didn't fit the image. She held a deadpan face, her white eyes were droopy and ever widened in surprise or excitement. She never once showed emotion.

Exactly what the male wanted.

"My Master, my apologies that I have interrupted you," She said with a bow of respect. He smiled at her and walked to her.

"Your excused Purofittoro," He announced, he cupped her chin in his large, rough hand and roughly kissed her, "What brings you here my maidan?" He asked her, running his fingertips over her cheek.

"It's time, he is awakening," She told him, his fingers tensed up as his eyes widened in utter surprise.

"Really?," He asked as he ran his fingers through her long fringe that parted on the side of her forehead.

"Affirmative, my Master," She repeated, "It's time,". He started to smirk uncontrollably as the words hit him.

"About time, we have been waiting for quite a while," He said walking to the exit with Purofittoro obediently followed him.

Another large area, closer to the surface many Kaerufans were training with any different weapons. Some were traditional weapons that are easily found on earth but some were bizarre and never heard of before. The ages were mixed, some little children were dueling with each other, their parents watching and giving them tips and teenagers hung around together fighting and jeering at each other. Adults and even the elderly were training, fighting against each other. The cavern was loud, voices and the clang of weapons against weapons constantly echoed around.

However when the muscular male entered the room, it suddenly grew silent.

"Its Lord Furaro," They all whispered, wondering what he was doing here. Furaro walked to a stage made from carved stone and waiting for everyone to gather around. Purofittoro stood off to the side of him, looking over the masses of Kaerufans. Some shivered at her emotionless face, wondering if she was really a reanimated corpse.

"My fellow Kaerufans," Furaro called out, getting everyone's attention, "We have just received news that the Deep Flower has began to grow," He muttered and cheering rose up, their confusion turned into utter happiness. No matter if they were fighting with each other before, they were embracing each other in joy. They had all waited for this day to arrive. Furaro waited for silence, watching over them all with a grin.

"It's true, we have waited for this day for thousands of years!" He called out, "It's time to strike back!" He yelled out, getting a cheer from the crowd. However a hologram screen appeared behind him of the strict-looking, dull pink haired Kaerufan.

"I'm sorry Lord Furaro to interrupt you," Her voice echoed around the cavern. Furaro turned around to face the holographic screen.

"What is it Sutoroberi?" He asked her.

"My team has scoped out the planet and we have found that something puzzling has happened," Sutoroberi reported.

"Tell me now," He commanded.

"There is a strange reaction from the surface, it is occurring in certain areas, it is a powerful substance and I cannot trace its origin," She reported, the crowd watching her in curiousity, holding their weapons tightly, "This substance could be useful and maybe extremely powerful. Also, we are not sure if there is a connection to our saviour's awakening but there is activity going on with some ancient technology, and we fear…" She paused before she continued, "We fear that it is what we left behind…" She finished and there was a uproar of anger and hatred.

"You mean the humans have kept our technology?" He asked her, hatred stirring in his voice.

"We don't know, it has only occurred in one place at the moment," She replied.

"Where was it? One of our old sites?" He asked her.

"At the ancient site of our capital," She replied, causing more outrage. She sat there as her team rushing around, screens full data and information.

"Our satellites have given us the co-ordinates of the reaction," She announced to Furaro. He grinned and smirked, hiding his twisted anger.

"Thank you Sutoroberi, set up a ship with those co-ordinates, I'm sending a team to investigate the area," He announced turning back to the crowd.

"With this new information, it would dangerous to send a full frontal attack," He told the crowd, "Not to mention, we have to wait until he has enough power to reawaken, it might take a few month or year," He explained to the crowd. They all settled down, looking at one another, some weren't so eager while some were itching to go and seek revenge.

"I will choose a team, go back to your homes, I will send for you if you are chosen," He explained to them, "Don't worry if you aren't picked, stay here and train and train, we will send more teams out when we find out about the technology and the damn society…" He spat the last part, roars of agreement rose up.

* * *

It had been quite a few hours since the news of his return had filled the society. In a small housing den, that only had two rooms. One little one by two room that just had a hole that seemed to descend to the core of the planet, for the toilet. The main, large room had five hammocks, with only a thin fabric for a blanket. There was a table crafted from stone in the centre with stone stools. There was a small area, benches made from stone with some strange machines next to them that made a kitchen-like area. A pudgy female with short brown hair pulled up into a messy bun, put some rice gruel into stone bowl and brought it to the table. Her orange eyes were shining with optimism as she went about her daily housework. Sitting at the table was a middle-aged male, thin arms crossed as he looked off into the distance, pondering something. He had purple hair that reached his ears, one single, traditional plait at the back of his neck. He snapped out of his pondering and starting watching his happy wife with dull purple eyes.

"You look happier than usual honey," He commented.

"Of course I am!" She said, placing his bowl in front of him, "It's finally happening! I wonder if any of our boys will be chosen to go on the exploration team!" She wondered with a smile on her face. She ran her hands over the long, white overcoat that everyone of the middle-class level wore. They were only clothes that they could make in these conditions. It had a single zipper up the front and underneath was skin-tight black pants and shirt. They could only wash them once a month and to keep warm they never took them off.

"Dinner," She called out as she sat on the uncomfortable stool, three more male Kaerufans stood up and walked to the table. The oldest, a twenty year old, who looked just like his father sat down, he had a slight deadpan face, he had the same grayish purple hair that was trimmed short, sitting scruffily above his ears except for a small ponytail hanging down on the left side of his head. His indigo eyes looked down at his food, yet he was calculating something. The father and the oldest son were both every similar, quiet, pondering and calculating but the lack of emotion on the son's face wasn't inherited. The youngest hopped to the table, the parents wondered how he could not wear his overcoat and not be freezing old. The father had hoped that maybe their bodies were adapting to this cold after all this time, his son being a prime example. The young boy flicked a brown bang out of his orange eyes, his hair was like a messy mop on top of his head, pulled up into two pigtails with the traditional string that marked a loyal warrior of Deep Blue, despite his young age of ten.

"Aren't you happy Pie?" The young brother inappropriately asked his big brother. Pie was used to his brother's rude and straight to the point speech.

"Tart," He started, "There is still a lot to do before we can leave this rock," He explained, "We need to get rid of the human beings that have populated the planet and polluting it,".

"But getting rid of them will be fun too!" He smirked at his brother, getting a mixed reaction from his father. The last boy, around fourteen sat down next to Tart and looked at the meal in front of him with distain. He looked at the two adults before he started to play around with his stone spoon. He had yellow eyes that sparked with an unnerving type of playfulness, similar to Tart but he had dark green hair with a long fringe, the bangs just reaching his eyes. He had two ponytails on either side of his face with the traditional warrior string.

"Hey, Kish, your happy aren't you?" Tart asked him, desperate to share his joy with someone.

"Yes, I am," He smirked, "I'm just hoping there will be a knock on the door for me," He grinned.

"I don't want to gather information, I want to go in later and just get into it," Tart replied, taking a scoop of rice gruel.

"Pie, you would be good at the exploration team," Kish said, Pie didn't bother answering him, continuing to eat his dinner.

"Hey Breido," Kish said to the father, the mother's eyebrow twitched.

"He is father, Otousan, not Breido," She called out, "I'm Mother, Okasan," She took a scoop of rice gruel, "Honestly, you haven't fit into this family at all,".

Kish feel his fingers tense up at this, he stood up and went to walk out of the housing den.

"I'm going for a walk, and sorry but no matter what, you aren't my father and mother, they were more caring than you," He called back to her, running out of the door. He slammed it closed when he found Purofittoro standing in front of the den. He jumped back at her deadpan face for a second, mistaking it for a corpse before her impressive bust tamed him but he didn't dare goggle at them, knowing that it would mean death. Only Furaro could touch her

"Kish Ikisatashi?" She asked him, he bowed down in respect as she addressed him.

"Yes," He replied, he smiled, knowing what this meant if she was here.

'I've been picked!' He thought excitedly.

She turned around and led him through the tunnels and caverns of underground society.

* * *

They eventually made it to a cavern, larger than any caverns that Kish had been and seen. It boggled his mind, walls made up of gray metal with computers built into them. Kaerufans ran around, checking things and writing down on the poor paper. In this cavern, there was no roof so the room was open to the cruel surface. The blizzard that was ongoing poured snow onto the black tiled floor, its wind blowing into to and then out with a gale. Kish was taken back at how cold it was, the ice particles scraped him like little sowing needles. Goosebumps ran up his legs and arms in a few milliseconds and his blood was chilled, causing him to shiver and shake. Kish clung to his body in a vain attempt to keep warm. Purofittoro didn't feel the change at all, walking through the three inches of snow that covered the floor. In the middle of this room was a triangular shaped spaceship. It was mostly black and had three major rocket engines at the back of it. It was similar to modern human's rockets but was more angular and jaggedly shaped and with a wider cockpit and blue, thick windows. It sat horizontally down, like a place with a cargo door open and four people standing in it, waiting for them to approach it. Kish immediately recognised the respected solider, their temporary leader Lord Furaro standing in front of a twenty four year old male and a sixteen year old girl.

"Thank you my maiden," Furaro announced to Purofittoro, running his hand over her cheek as she approached him. Kish bowed in respect to the great solider and stood next to the girl. She had a long fringe that parted in the middle of her forehead and her hair sat on her shoulders before running down her chest, just covering her bust area. Her golden eyes looked at him, searching him before she looked back at Furaro. Kish could tell that she was worried, her eyes were large and she seemed to look around everywhere. The male reminded Kish immediately of Pie, he was tall and stood there obediently, like a solider in front of his king. He had long, dull and extremely dark aquamarine hair that was on the border of looking gray-black, it was put into a long ponytail at the back. Kish looked at his dark red eyes, the way that it didn't glimmer at all gave Kish a strange feeling.

'He may be serious like Pie but I think he is a lot crueler than him,' Kish wondered to himself and smiled, 'Oh well, guess things won't be dull,'.

"You have been chosen by me based on your abilities and passion," Furaro explained to them, "Report back information everyday about the society and weapons and or technology they are using,".

"How will we fight back?" asked the girl, "We are going against our own technology," Furaro smiled at her, not annoyed at all but more pleased, as if he made up the best revenge.

"We fight back with something that they used against our kind back then…" He smirked as several jellyfish creatures appeared around him, swimming through the air.

"Kish, Keeki, Sasujiro," he announced, looking at Kish to the girl and finally the male, "Do your race proud, help us find Deep Blue-sama!".

* * *

**Zoey Hoshi:** Finally Kish shows his face. To be honest, I hated Kish at first, he truly has problems but damn, he is a good villain! Also, I made up the race name for the Aliens, I mean they aren't going to call themselves Aliens. I was going to use Mew Mew Power's name of Cyniclons but I thought it didn't fit the original Japanese show. I gave them the name Kaerufans, the Japanese kanji and katakana meaning Pastry-Elves, I've tried to keep within the pastry names but I will spill out into food names if need be!


	15. Metamorphosis!

**Author's Note**: The rest of episode 1! I had some trouble with this chapter, I just kept on editing and editing! I think it was because my latest English Extension assessment, a Satire piece got the lowest marks in the class, when I normally get the high marks for creative writing. For some reason, he just couldn't follow the story, yet my mum and friends could follow it so I think its heavily impacted on my creative streak. However, thanks to people constant support I was able to finally stop the ultimate perfection machine in my head =^.^=

**Note:** I am Australian, and we have alternative ways of spelling certain words from America. Eg. Mum/Mom, -ise/-ize etc.

I know it is a major pain to do this, but please leave comments/reviews etc. because it **really** does cheer me up, knowing that this story is actually read and liked by people. **Thank you and sorry for all this!**

* * *

**Chapter 15: Metamorphosis!**

"Ichigo! Ichigo! Honestly!" Moe groaned as she stood over Ichigo's desk. Ichigo's eyes slowly opened, hazy with grogginess as the sunlight poured through the classroom window. She gazed at the tree that grew up alongside the school building, watched the leaves dancing in the slight, warm breeze. A stirring emotion and want brewed in her to perch herself in the tree and rest against the trunk when the sound of voices rose up, the endless chatter of lunchtime. Ichigo stretched her back out, cracking it in several places.

"Wha..? What time is it?" She asked as confusion set in.

"You've been sleeping all through geography! I know it's boring as hell but you were so full of energy this morning!" Moe explained while Miwa sighed as she opened up a tin of sardines.

"What? Through all of geography?" She asked, she tried to remember back but she could just remember her dream that only consisted of darkness but a warm and fuzzy feeling, like she was being watched over by her mother, "I'm just so sleepy!" She complained.

"Geez Ichigo, falling asleep on your first date and now in class? I think you are developing narcolepsy," Moe teased her, Ichigo slammed her fists on her table.

"I'm not narcoleptic!" Ichigo retorted back as the smell of fish hit her. Her stomach twisted and turned as her mouth began to water. The salty smell created a deep desire for seafood. Ichigo stared at Miwa who was delicately eating the sardines with her chopsticks.

"It's strange though," Miwa said, "Your always full of energy Ichigo," She added, "You always complain about being kept inside when it's beautiful like today yet, I haven't heard a single complaint from you," She smiled. Ichigo pouted, crossing her arms to her body.

"Stop bringing it up already!" She said, snorting in an attempt to get the smell of sardines away from her.

'I hate sardines, I only like tuna!' Ichigo thought to herself as she squished her stomach in to prevent her stomach from making a loud protest. She put all of her books away that she had used as a pillow and pulled out her red obento. She opened it up and took a whiff of it, hoping to wash away the smell of the sardines but her nose was slammed with information. She held it, clamping it shut as her brain throbbed from an information overload. She could smell the rice that she had cooked that morning, she could smell the seaweed and how it melded together with the sticky rice. Her table smelt of paper, eraser shavings and the strong, repulsive smell of ink pricking the back of her throat as she imagined the taste of it running and sinking into her tongue. Ichigo quickly ate a riceball to rid herself of the thought. However Miwa and Moe picked her reaction and looked at each other in confusion, they exchanged glances between each other and looked back at Ichigo.

"Are you feeling okay Ichigo?" They inquired their confused friend. She looked at them, their eyes glittered with concern not humour.

"Yeah…" She replied half-heartedly, "I just had a restless sleep last night and I slept most of yesterday, I didn't feel well," She told them remembering the dream of the Iriomote Yamaneko kitten and the warmth and gentle darkness, as if she was blind and next to her mother.

"Okay," They knew that Ichigo wouldn't say anything else. Moe skipped of to get her obento out of her bag. Miwa put her tin of fish down on Ichigo's desk as she went to get her bottle of fruit juice. Ichigo stared at the fish in the aluminium tin, they were whole fish except for the tail and head, scales and fins taken off. Ichigo leaned forward to the tin, opened her mouth and inhaled deeply. The smell tickled the roof of her mouth creating a tingling sensation that hit the back of her throat. Her nose tickled and prickled from the salty and ocean smell, her gut and heart throbbing with a strange longing. She picked one fish out and sat back, enjoying the smell and the sense of nostalgia it created for a strange reason. She then delicately ran her tongue over the skin of the fish, not noticing the newly formed bristles on it. She revelled in the flavour, making her skin crawl and her stomach cry out for it. She could feel the smooth texture of the skin and all of the little dimples were the scales once sat. She sighed as she lifted her tongue off it and then with her teeth she started to tear off the flesh in strips, savouring the taste of it when Miwa coughed, snapping her out of her trance.

"You're eating my lunch like a cat you know?" Miwa stated as Ichigo looked down at the fish she was eating and chewed slowly on the piece of fish in her mouth.

"I-I'm s-sorry…" She muttered and swallowed the flesh down hard as her heart thudded with embarrassment. Her ears and cheeks erupted with heat as they turned red with blood. Her fingers trembled and her hands began clammy, "I-I was just feel-feeling ill and the salty smell of the sardines… I-I thought it would help, I'm sorry that I didn't ask…" Ichigo stuttered a lie, her tongue slipping up with embarrassment.

'What! WHAT!' Ichigo thought as she ate the rest of the fish as Miwa and Moe kept asking if she was alright, 'This all started Saturday with the dreams! Am I sick? Am I just tired?' Ichigo sighed and realised that the room was mostly empty. She glanced around and then turned to Moe and Miwa.

"Kendo practice," They announced, Ichigo sighed, knowing that by now, they wouldn't be able to see a thing, "We weren't sure if you would want to see him after… that," They explained looking down, "You just seemed down and upset…" . Ichigo stood up, closing her obento box and smiled warmly at them.

"We'll go, even if he doesn't see me," She told them with kind shimmer in her eyes. Moe and Miwa nodded, smiling to each other, knowing that this was the normal Ichigo and happily followed suit.

* * *

"_Momomiya-san… Are you okay?" Masaya's soft and gentle voice sounded, stirring Ichigo out of her 'sleep'. She looked into Masaya's eyes, they were so warm and kind. It registered that she was leaning against his shoulder, her body curved into him as he sat under a large Cherry Blossom tree in the park. Ichigo felt so relaxed and protected, as if she could just doze there knowing that her beloved Masaya would watch over her however the image of what she was doing right now hit her. She jumped up and bowed deeply to him._

"_I'm so sorry!" She apologised, Masaya's coat falling to the ground. Ichigo watched it with large eyes. _

'_Did he use his own jacket as a blanket for me?' She wondered as Masaya picked it up and leaned forward so his eyes were at her height._

"_Are you okay now Momomiya-san? You've been out for an hour or two," He announced as alarm clawed at her heart, causing it to pounded quickly and harshly with embarrassment._

"_I'M SO SORRY!" Ichigo apologised again and Masaya smiled as he put on his jacket. His puppy-like hazel eyes shone with relief and a deep intrigued shimmer, as if he spend his time pondering over something._

* * *

"I knew we would be too late," Moe sighed as they walked up the stairs to the gym, the only free spot was against the safety railing. They looked over the crowds and crowds of screaming and cheering fan-girls that awed at the boys, all they could see was the top of the Kendo team's head and their bamboo sticks.

"So, that's just what happened?" Miwa asked Ichigo who had explained her fainting episode on Saturday earlier, "That little earthquake and then it was lights out?" Ichigo nodded and Miwa and Moe gazed off at the team.

"It's sure is strange," Moe sighed as the referee's voice sounded after a loud smash echoed through the gymnasium.

"Face! Match to Aoyama-kun!" He announced after Masaya brought down his bamboo stick on the other's protected face.

"Excellent, Aoyama-kun!" The coach smiled, "You're ready for finals!" Then Masaya took of his headgear, the small beads of sweat falling off him, sliding down his well-formed cheeks and thick neck. He let out a breath and shook his hair around like a male model. He smiled back at his coach as all the fan-girls watched with wide eyes and blushing faces.

"No, not yet," He said but the rest of his conversation was cut out to Ichigo, Miwa and Moe as the fan-girls screamed girlishly, repeating Masaya's name.

"He truly is a prodigy of this school isn't he?" Miwa pointed out, Moe nodding as they watched his head move around. Ichigo reached to her chest pocket and pulled out the photo that she and Masaya had taken the other day. She looked at his kind expression and giggled to herself.

'I'm not annoyed at this… After all, I did go on a date with Aoyama-kun yesterday, even if it was just an 'outing' to a museum,' She started to blush as she remembered the 'tripping incident' and her heart trembled at the feelings on his body close to hers and how soft and flawless his lips were. Miwa and Moe noticed that Ichigo wasn't adding to their conversation and just blushing to herself, which was a normal thing for the dreamy Ichigo, but it was a deep red and not to mention the large grin.

"What's that?" Moe said, reaching for the photo. Her slim fingertips got hold of it and it started to slide out of Ichigo's grip. Panic and embarrassment gripped Ichigo and she tried to grab it back from Moe however nature created a slight wind that snatched up the photo from both of them, sending it to the sky.

"NO!" Ichigo scream, turning around and using the railing to push herself up. She felt her muscle bunch up as she sprung for the photograph. She was amazed at the power behind her jump as she grasped the photo.

"Got it!" She yelled in victory as her left foot slammed on top of the railing. Ichigo looked down, wondering how she jumped so high to jump from the balcony to a rail that reached up to her shoulders.

"ICHIGO!" Miwa and Moe shrieked as Ichigo's foot began to slip over the thin railing. Their voices were raw with terror and horror as they when to grab Ichigo's feet. Their screams grabbed the attention of the nearby fan-girls who turned to see Ichigo's begin to fall face first off the railing.

Masaya heard the screams for Ichigo, he gazed up over the crowd to see Ichigo's body fall out of sight from the raised gymnasium. Fear and panic exploded in his gut as he rushed forward, through the crowd of girls, not even acknowledging them.

"MOMOMIYA-SAN!" He yelled out as he approached the railing too late. Ichigo watched as the ground raced up to her, closing her eyes as she gulped hard.

'This is it…" She thought as her body began moving on instinct, her heart pumping blood around quickly, rushing to give it energy to do what it was planning. It started to twist around, her waist and legs diving down and her back powerfully raising her chest and head up. Her arms straightened out to minimise resistance as she turned from diving head first to her feet bracing to hit the ground with perfect balance.

All in the space of a few seconds.

She collided with the ground on the soles of her feet, her braced legs absorbing the force perfectly. Ichigo opened her eyes to find herself perfectly fine. She stumbled back, her heart pumping blood around as shock set in, her body trembling. Cheering started up, Ichigo spinning around, looking up at her 'audience' and the shocked faces of Masaya, Moe and Miwa.

"HOW ARE YOU ALIVE?" Miwa yelled out, her voice braking with happiness.

"ICHIGO ARE YOU OKAY!" Moe called out as she tried to prevent herself from breaking into tears. Ichigo looked at Moe then to Miwa as they shook their heads on amazement and then to the shocked gaze of Masaya. Ichigo took and step backwards, her heart pounding so heavily it rocked her body along with the shock. Without another thought, she ran off.

* * *

Ichigo took off down off the paths of school to the nearby, small park. She walked around aimlessly as she pondered about her behaviour.

"What's wrong with me? Sleeping during midday, want to be in or near trees, love for fish and seafood, landing on my feet and…" Ichigo trailed off as she remembered the dream with the Iriomote Yamaneko, "That dream… It started then didn't it?" Ichigo pondered.

"Momomiya-san," Masaya called out, grabbing Ichigo's attention. She spun around to find him still in his Kendo outfit and breathing hard, his lungs desperately trying to catch as much air as it could.

'He followed me here? Straight from Kendo?' Her heart thudded at the thought, 'Was he worried about me?'. He walked up to her and inspected her and then out a sigh of relief.

"You really are fine," He said, almost reassuring himself, "That was amazing Momomiya-san, how did you do it?" He asked her. She shifted around uncomfortably as she thought back on it.

"I-I do-don't know," She admitted to him with large, confused eyes that caused a glitter of surprise in Masaya's eyes.

'Sh-she…' Masaya thought as she shifted around, obviously something troubling her yet she was shy and embarrassed, 'She is c-c-cute…' He admitted to himself, shocked at this. He had used the word before but he didn't ever mean it.

"The ground was rushing up and then I just…" She trailed off and looked at Masaya.

"That is really amazing," Masaya said, snapping out of his little ponder, "Just like a cat," he smiled at her and a deep emotion stirred in Ichigo at these words.

"NYA!" She exclaimed in absolute shock.

'I'm turning into a cat!' She thought. However Masaya laughed at her, thinking she was playing along with his little joke.

"You sound like a cute kitten Momomiya-san," He half-joked, half-admitted, "I'm glad that your okay," He said, smiling at her again. Ichigo was pulled out her realisation and looked at Masaya her eyes sparkling.

'Does he like me? After all, he did look after me on Saturday instead of calling an ambulance and he did run after me when he is in the middle of practice…' Ichigo wondered. She rubbed her hand along her neck and her hands became clammy, 'He said I looked cute, he didn't demand an apology for falling asleep and the 'trip incident'… Does he like me?' She asked herself.

"Aoyama-kun…" Ichigo started, looking off to the side before looking to Masaya's deep gaze, "I was wondering… Do you like me?" She asked, catching Masaya totally of guard.

"Like… You…?" He echoed, as if he had ever heard of those words before. Ichigo's face dropped as an embarrassed blush broke out across her face.

"Forget I said anything!" She told him, turning away from him. She opened her eyes to see something approaching them. Masaya froze as a giant monster, easily over three metres appeared before them from nowhere. Ichigo took a step back as a scream was caught in her throat. The monster was like a huge rat, its legs powerful enough to let it move on two-legs, its front feet gaining huge, curved claws. A large, blue, third eye rested on top of its forehead. The large eye spotted the two terrified teenagers and the creature let out a strange, unnatural bellow as it stomped towards them.

"MOMOMIYA-SAN! GET AWAY!" Masaya screamed as he jumped in front of Ichigo. His skin crawled as the creature approached them.

'What am I doing?' He thought as the creature lifted up its large claws and with great force, brought them down on Masaya. Ichigo didn't have anytime to react as Masaya's blood dripped onto the floor. She watched with wide eyes his body collapsed to the ground with his eyes closed.

"AOYAMA-KUN!" Ichigo screamed, her voice echoing through the empty park.

Ryou sat in the newly delivered table and chair sets for Café Mew Mew. He said there pouting as Keiichiro signed for them and saw the deliverer out.

"He thinks we are gay!" Ryou called out, Keiichiro's eyebrow twitching as the blonde-haired teenager brought it up again. He spun around and sighed.

"No matter what you're not giving up on that are you?" He sighed, half smiled at Ryou.

"Two men, two men living together in a pink, love-heart, fairy tale castle with love heart chairs… We are the most pussified, stereotypical gay people!" He ranted, Keiichiro started to laugh at Ryou as he started to plan the layout of eh Café. R-2000 flew into the room and sat next to Ryou, purring as he landed near him. He could sense some anger and disrupt in Ryou's aura. "I'M NEVER GOING TO GET ANYONE TO THINK I'M STRAIGHT!" He hissed, waving his arms around as Keiichiro held back a chuckle.

"Ryou…" Keiichiro started but R-2000's robot voice interrupted him as his eyes flashed white.

"Ryou! Keiichiro! Chimera Anima! Chimera Anima" He spurted out.

"_There are these things, Chimera Animas made from Para Paras… They are truly terrifying…" Dr. Shirogane told the younger Keiichiro. Keiichiro nodded as Ryou watched behind the door, writing down notes on his notepad._

"They're here!" Ryou called out as Keiichiro froze up, "R-2000 us the co-ordinates of the Chimera Anima!" Ryou called out as his eyes started to contract. A beating heart, that pulsated with need and helplessness with made Ryou's stomach twist and turn. His heart accelerated as his cat genes pin-pointed the heat and energy that screamed for help.

"I'm going ahead!" Ryou yelled, running to the backdoor of the café, not waiting for Keiichiro's reply. "MIDORI NO SURAFU! ARAWARERU!" He called, the scarf wrapping around his neck, causing his body heat up, crawl and grow as he transformed into Alto. He didn't flinch this time at the transformation, he was either getting used to it or the alarm and fierce emotions that boiled his blood distracted him. He dashed through the undergrowth, racing toward the nearby, smaller park. He scented the air and could pick up a horrid smell that made his fur stand on end and bare his teeth. It smelt of trash and infestation, but there was another scent, a warm and delicate one that was so very familiar and somehow similar to his own.

'It's there… She's there….!'

* * *

"AOYAMA-KUN!" Ichigo screamed, shaking him as blood starting to well up on his back and his breathing deepened. Ichigo's trembling hands tried to shake him awake but her actions were becoming weaker and weaker as her mouth let out silent wails. The monster bared its unnatural canines along with its rodent teeth. Ichigo sat there her body trembling and shaking as it growled at her, raising its paw again.

'I'm dead…' Ichigo thought, closing her eyes as tears crawled down her cheeks. Alto pulled the scarf of him, transforming back into Ryou as he approached Ichigo. He bunched up his legs, sending all of his power there as he aimed for Ichigo. Ichigo felt something scoop her up from her side and air blasting by her, as if she was soaring though the sky. She tensed up, thinking this was it when she realised how gentle and warm the touch was and its shape. It registered that it was a human body, not a disfigured rat-monster hand. The air stopped soaring passed her, she opened her eyes to see the blonde-hair boy in a black vest and designer white pants. They were perched on a tall tree branch while the monster looked around the crater in the pavement, seeing no evidence of Ichigo.

"Who… WHO ARE YOU!" Ichigo yelled out, ripping herself from Ryou's grip but she noticed how cold and how her fear came back as she left his protective and tough arms.

'This girl has the DNA… So she is partially my kin…' Ryou shiverrf at the thought, 'And she's…'

"I'm Ryou Shirogane and you're not as light as you look," Ryou stated bluntly, Ichigo felt a bit of anger well up at his comment, she bared her slightly sharpened teeth.

"Excuse Me!" Ichigo remarked as Ryou looked at her, waiting for her to give him her name.

"Ichigo Momomiya, now please tell me wh-" However she didn't have time to finish as the monster roared at them, its hot, trash-scented breath blowing against them.

"Hey… There's a lot to explain so I'll make it short since we could be killed," Ryou started as the Chimera Anima Rat came closer to their refuge, "Kill that for me would ya?" Ryou asked with a straight face to the terrified Ichigo.

"WHAT?" She exclaimed, fear was boiling her blood with bubbles of anger and disbelief. The Chimera Anima swung its powerful yet thin arm at the tree, making it shake like a piece of jelly. Ryou clung to the tree perfectly, his cat genes leveling out his balance but Ichigo, who had yet to acknowledge the existence of her other side, couldn't keep balance in her human body and clumsily fell out of the tree like an autumn leaf. Ichigo let out a scream as she once again for the second time, watched the ground race up to her. Ryou watched her body fall with wide eyes, his genes screaming at him to save her. To save his own kin, his human part of his brain protested out aloud, shrinking back at the idea.

'I haven't even gotten a girlfriend! She is another girl who is almost my age! SHE IS IN NO WAY RELATED TO ME!' His human side screamed as he went to jump down to save Ichigo, 'Yet, she is important…' He thought when the little furry body of R-2000 flew overhead. He opened his mouth, light spiraling around it as if he was going to blast away the Chimera Anima but it created a strange pendant that dropped down to Ichigo's falling body.

Ichigo's eyes made contact with the yellow pendant and her mind became crystal clear, deep emotions inside of her body controlled her. It began to spin her spine around in preparation to neatly land on her feet. Ichigo stopped screaming all of her fear disappearing in a few seconds and took a large breath.

"MEW MEW STRAWBERRY METAMORPHOSIS!" She summoned the strange phrase as her heart thudded and pounded with a warm, hot feeling, sending it to every cell in her body.

'That dream…' Ichigo thought as magical beams of rosy pink light surround her body, crafting perfectly made clothes for her. It tickled her skin as it clung to her. 'That dream of the Iriomote Yamaneko… Wasn't a dream at all…', She felt the sensation of her spine extending, skin and fur covering a long, thick tail. Her muscles in her legs, feet, back and shoulders became lean and strong. She felt as if she could run all the way to the central park in Tokyo and back, running through the undergrowth and scaling tall trees. She wanted to brave large rivers, feeling the water surround her gently. 'I merged…' Her ears folded up her head and into black cat ears with pink insides. She could hear her pounding and changing heart, the sound of Ryou's surprise and excited breathing and the sound of the large Chimera Anima that watched her in confusion. 'I merged with it…'.

She then landed, perfectly on her feet and she opened her eyes to find herself in long, knee-length, deep pink boots and matching, short gloves. She had a light pink corset top with dark pink lace framing it. The end of the corset lengthened out like a four-petal flower and sat on top of an extremely puffy skirt. Two pink, puffy armbands with the same lace and a matching garter finished off the cute yet bizarre attire. Ichigo ran her fingers over her new cat ears and found that her hair was out, sitting how it naturally sits. Her black tail moved around, flicking the large, yellow bell that was tied on by a large red ribbon, Ichigo tapped the pendant that was tied to a pink choker. The amazement then died out and was replaced with utter bafflement.

"WHAT IS GOING ON!" She screamed as the Chimera Anima roared at her, preparing to attack her.

"IT WORKED!" Ryou rejoiced, amazed at what he had just seen. It was amazing, truly a miracle that dropped from Heaven itself! "THE MEW PROJECT WORKED!" Ichigo looked at him confused at what he was celebrating.

'Is he celebrating how I changed? Does he know what the hell is going on?' Ichigo thought as Ryou noticed how she was gazing at him with large, confused eyes.

"You're special, you're Mew Ichigo!" He told her, his gaze softened slightly, feeling his cat genes swell with pride.

"Mew… Ichigo…?" Mew Ichigo repeated as the Chimera Anima aimed another blow at her. She jumped back, her muscles sending her backwards to easily dodge the attack. The outfit was light and perfectly fit so she could easily move around. She felt a slight exhilaration as she felt power surge over her body, she felt a phrase bubble in her heart, as if she knew these words her whole life.

"Strawberry Bell!" Mew Ichigo called out, noticing how the bell on her tail glowed and produced a heart-shaped object. She instinctively grabbed it, revealing a pink strawberry shaped weapon with a heart design. It featured a large pink glass heart with yellow framing, from this was a dangling yellow, brass bell and on top was a green stem-like shape for the strawberry theme. Mew Ichigo looked at it and she discovered on her right glove's ribbon, there was the same glass heart and framing design on it but to a much smaller scale. She gazed into the middle of the glass heart and discovered another strange, love heart symbol, the same one of the pendant.

'What is this?' She wondered, the Chimera Anima made a hiss, full of hatred and fury, mirroring Mew Ichigo's feelings towards the creature. It threw its head at her, its blue eye glaring at her and thick drool rolled out of its open jaws, showing its yellowed teeth. She shoved the Strawberry Bell in the Chimera Anima's face and shouted at it, baring her sharp canines at it.

"Ribbon Strawberry Bubble!" A phrase that just came to her and the glass heart created a bubble of pink light, a shield of warm light. The chimera Anima shoved its face into the bubble, trying to break it but it turn the bubble started to crack its large teeth. The Chimera Anima leaped away, screeching in pain as its powerful teeth were chipped away. Mew Ichigo stared in amazement at what she had just did and removed the bubble. Her heart thudded with a strange excitement and her muscles trembled with power, she had never felt more alive in her whole life. She stood up and glared at the Rat Chimera Anima before her eyes landed on the to the seemly unconscious Masaya Aomaya.

"How dare you!" She hissed at the Anima, "To Aoyama-kun! How DARE YOU!" She then found herself in a comforting yet powerful pose, as if it gave her strength, "You'll feel the power of the cat's spirit! For your evil actions, I'll make you pay Nya!" She yelled making the creature roar in objection, jumping towards her in hopes to crush Mew Ichigo under its two front paws but again, she easily ran and jumped away. She noticed how the little glass heart on her glove started to glow along with the Strawberry bell. She lined them up sending white and pink lights around her, woven in together, and filling Mew Ichigo with power.

"Ribbon Strawberry Check!" She yelled and a powerful, indestructible beam of pink light blasted towards the Chimera Anima. It screamed in pain as it surrounded it and the light washed out its system. The Para Para squirmed in its host body as it was prickled and burned by the searing, hot light. It then aborted its rat host body, its final attempted to escape, leaving the rat to turn back into its natural state. The light washed through all of the cuts, healing its immune system, the beautiful heat instantly healed all of the injuries that the rat suffered. The rat shrunk and return back to normal, it glanced around before it quickly scampered off into the park, away from the scene. The Para Pare drifted, swimming through the sky, away from the light when it ran into its worst enemy.

R-2000.

"Collect!" He said in his robotic voice and chased after the retreating Para Para. The semi-transparent jellyfish was not match for R-2000 who flew over to it and opened his mouth wide, eating the Para Para into its little body. "Recovery Complete!" He purred and flew back to Mew Ichigo as she landed feet first perfectly, running towards the body of Masaya. As she approached him, he made a groaning sigh before he was silent again.

"Aoyama-kun!" She dropped to his side, frantically looking over him. Ryou followed Mew Ichigo, his ice eyes wide and was totally speechless. He looked over the black haired boy, only now noticing his injuries. He knelt down beside Mew Ichigo and could feel how tense and overwrought she was.

"My friend is coming, he can treat his wounds…" He calmed her down before his bubble of excitement broke. He half patted, half slapped her on the back several times as a large smile broke across his face.

"That was great! Amazing! Good job Mew Ichigo!" He praised her, Mew Ichigo glared at him as her mind buzzed with confusion and questions.

"Can you tell me what the hell is going on!" He yelled at him, her ears laying flat, her tail flicking around in irritation.

"Yep, you're Mew Ichigo!" He said bluntly. Mew Ichigo felt a hiss rumble in the back of her throat but all she could do was wait for her answers.

* * *

**Zoey Hoshi:** Wah! So long! Anyway, just in case there is confusion, Para Para is the official name for the parasite aliens, I think it was released in the PS1 game. I will have a few made-up attacks but I'll take time to develop them for I use them.

**Ichigo:** What is going on!

**Zoey Hoshi:** Next chapter is exposition time again! But I'll try my best to make it not boring drabble! I promise after the next chapter, all the of over-load of exposition will be over!


	16. Setsunai Omoi

**Author's Note**: As Nostalgia Critic would sing, "EX-POS-IT-ION~!". I brainstormed several ways for it to stay interesting but get all the information out of the way so the chapters from here on will speed up and flow nicer. I was even more of a perfectionist, I keep editing and writing and editing and writing! Then edit some more!

**Note:** I am Australian, and we have alternative ways of spelling certain words from America. Eg. Mum/Mom, -ise/-ize etc.

**~Translation Notes~**

**Ningen, Kokufuku:** Human, Overcome

**Setsunai Omoi:** Painful thoughts

I know it is a major pain to do this, but please leave comments/reviews etc. because it **really** does cheer me up, knowing that this story is actually read and liked by people. **Thank you and sorry for all this!**

* * *

**Chapter 16: Setsunai Omoi**

Mew Ichigo watched Masaya nervously as she heard the sound of an approaching car and slamming of car doors. Her grip on her Strawberry Bell tensed up, as she listened out for the stranger. Ryou could easily tell it was Keiichiro from his distinct scent that smelled like Black Tea with sweet, sugary pastries on the side. Ryou's skin prickled at the idea of being able to smell everyone scent, especially a man's one, not to mention the one that runs a sugary pink castle café. He stood up as he saw the tall, skinny man approaching them, Mew Ichigo glanced at him wondering what part he had to play in all of this. She curled up tightly, her ears laying flat to her head.

"Ryou I…" Keiichiro trailed off as his deep, hazel eyes set on Mew Ichigo. He stood there amazed before he walked over to her. He kneeled beside her, hand on his chest in an extremely formal introduction.

"I'm Keiichiro Akasaka, Ryou's partner, I'm honoured to be in the presence of such a beautiful special lady," He politely introduced himself, softly grasping Mew Ichigo's hand. Mew Ichigo wasn't used to such a polite gentleman apart from Masaya and after speaking to Ryou for a few minutes she was flustered by such a mature man.

"Special… Lady," She echoed his words as he pecked her on the hand. She knew this was an extremely formal action in Western culture but to a timid and shy Japanese school girl, she wasn't prepared for it. A slight blush broke across her face before her mind snapped back to reality.

"Excuse me! Please help him!" She pleaded, bowing down to Keiichiro. He nodded as his eyes laid on the injured boy and moved over to inspect Masaya. He pushed his fingers on his neck and got a sluggish but steady pulse. He slid his finger down and found some drying blood, the various platelets beginning to clot.

'He is lucky, it missed all of his major arteries and organs,' He thought to himself. He smiled, trying to calm her down.

"He is fine, no major damage," He reported, "His wounds will heal quickly, they aren't deep thankfully, I think he must have passed out more from shock than anything else. I'll take him back with us and treat him there before he wakes up," he said.

"Wait, but we're in the middle of school right now!" Mew Ichigo retorted.

"You are seriously going back like that?" Ryou threw back, Mew Ichigo flinched at this, looking at her body, "And to you want your questions answered or not?" Mew Ichigo shifted around, knowing he was right but she didn't want to be thought as a truant.

"Ryou, I think she wants us to get her out of school first," Keiichiro said, unlocking his iPhone 4, "What is your school Ichigo-san?" He asked her politely.

"Umm, Daikan Junior High School," She replied as Keiichiro, his fingers moving at an almost mechanical rate and rung up the number.

"Good Day Madam," He said in a thick English accent, Mew Ichigo looked at him in confusion at how quickly and why his voice changed, "I am a relative of Momomiya Ichigo come all the way from Manchester, Ah yes… Thank you madam, your just so polite and cute you Japanese women," Ryou noticed the change in Mew Ichigo's face as she stared at Keiichiro stirring up a casual yet somehow flirtatious conversation.

"He has some kind of special gift of getting people, mostly woman to listen to him" He explained, "I mean, look at me, I can be a stubborn mule sometimes," He told her but her face seemed to drop into uncertainty more.

'Agh… Why must it be these two? I'm going to get into trouble,' She thought hopelessly, sighing yet she was relieved that Masaya was okay.

"Ah, yes, My greatest apologies to not inform you earlier but a family issue has come up and we have met up with Ichigo at the front gate taken her out of school for family issues. I am truly sorry but this is an important matter than must be solved. Please ring me if you have any qualms," He lied.

"What about Aoyama-kun?" Mew Ichigo whispered to Ryou.

"What's his first name?" Ryou asked her. Mew Ichigo froze for a second as she flustered around, her heart throbbing as she said his first name.

"Masaya… Aoyama," She sighed, her cheeks engulfed in red. Ryou face palmed as he came to realisation of the relationship between these two.

'She is a little, lovey-dovey fangirl of this little pep-squeak!' He thought as he looked at the unconscious raven-haired boy. His heart flinched slightly, tugging almost. Ryou snorted quietly and dismissed the confusing feelings as he walked over to Keiichiro and whispered the name of the boy as well.

"Also, Kahawa-san, they are terribly sorry however they were unable to inform you, but Aoyama's parents have taken him out school due to a slight injury in kendo. Since the finals of the competition are in a few weeks, they want to prevent himself from over-working and hurting himself more," He added, Mew Ichigo flinching at how Keiichiro was able to get the office lady's name already.

'Even I don't know their names! They are old, crabby ladies that glare you down like a mountain lion!,' She thought

Keiichiro hung up the phone and smiled at the two.

'What have I gotten into?' She thought hopelessly as Keiichiro picked up Masaya easily and started walking out of the park.

* * *

Ryou motioned with his head for Mew Ichigo to follow them. They walked out of the park to the red Ferrari that was messily parked over half of a disabled park. Mew Ichigo sighed, wondering what these two people were like before she followed them into the back of the car. Keiichiro carefully place Masaya in the back of the car, strapping him in before closing the door. Mew Ichigo moved over to him and pressed up against his unconscious body. Her cat ears could hear every heart beat pumping blood through his veins. She closed her eyes, reassured by his gentle heartbeat and how his body began to regain warmth.

'I shouldn't be here… I know enough stranger danger to know this isn't a good idea,' She thought as the car started zooming through the streets of Tokyo. She looked at Masaya, then to the despondent blonde boy, Ryou and to the mature yet playful gentleman Keiichiro. 'I can't leave Masaya like this and I can't go home like this…' She sighed and pressed up closer to Masaya, half hoping he would wake up and make everything better but not while she was like this.

The car then came to a halt and they all made their way out of the vehicle. Mew Ichigo surveyed the area, making sure no one would see her like this. It was immediately apparent that they were in Tokyo's Central park and nearby the Red Data Animal Exhibition.

'Is it all connected?' She wondered clutching her Strawberry Bell tightly, the out-of-body experience flashed through her head as she turned around to spot the elegant, pinker than Barbie's mansion, Café Mew Mew. She gazed at it, amazed they had stopped here but was more thunderstruck that the two men were walking into the place.

"Hey… Why here?" She asked. Ryou and Keiichiro turned around looking at her confused.

"It's our café," Keiichiro said, "Our secret base," He added as Mew Ichigo smacked her fist into her palm as a realisation struck her.

"Oh! Sorry, You said partner before, I thought you meant like comrades but now I understand," Mew Ichigo said as she looked at the café. Ryou froze up and glanced at Keiichiro like a dead face.

"I TOLD YOU!" He yelled, grabbing his hair in rage, "WE LOOK LIKE GAY GUYS WITH THIS CAFÉ!" He retorted, he looked back to the confused Mew Ichigo, "I'M NOT GAY! THIS IS A COVER!" He retorted, Mew Ichigo looked at them both before bowing to them apologetically.

"I'm so sorry! Just that, we all thought that some girl stuck in her childhood years made this place, I mean its cute its just that…" she trailed off as Ryou marched inside.

* * *

"He is resting well," Keiichiro said as he walked down the wooden spiral staircase into the main room of the café. Ryou was still pouting, continuously tapping his fingertips on the table as Mew Ichigo looked around at the Café in awe, "I gave him a shot of morphine which will also make him sleep calmly for a hour or two," He explained as Mew Ichigo bowed to him, smiling with relief.

"Thank you so much Akasaka-san," She said before she turned to Ryou and then back to Keiichiro, "Sorry, but who are you really?"

"I'm just an aspiring pastry chef, owner of Café Mew Mew and Ryou's legal guardian," He pulled out a chair for Mew Ichigo, "Also, I'm a former Archaeologist from the Shirogane Team," He explained.

"I'm just a graduated American student, though my father was Japanese. Not to mention a super genius in charge of the Mew Project," He stated, Mew Ichigo frowned at his ego that was the size of Europe and Russia combined but she picked up on the word 'Mew Project,'.

"Mew Project, what's that? You were exclaiming something about that earlier when this happened," Mew Ichigo said, motioning at herself, "The Shirogane Team?"

"It is our final defence," He said as Keiichiro set up a projector and showed some slides of data and photos, "You know of the giant debate at the moment right? About climate change and all that?" He asked her, she nodded but wondered how this linked to the conversation, "Things are getting bad for our planet, we have heavily impacted on it but we, the Shirogane Team, a team of different and brilliant Scientist and Archaeologists, found something strange. Events, incidences and data that couldn't and cannot be explained with our current scientific knowledge, something is adding to the effects of pollution but it isn't natural to this planet… A strange force with technology far greater than our own" Ryou explained.

"The Shirogane Team were excavating in North America, and they had several partnerships with other excavation and scientific teams around the world," Keiichiro jumped in, "They called me on for a few reasons after they all discovered the same data and similar ruins, meaning that before this planet was discovered by humans, it was home to an ancient race that died out and our planet's government has not even found it yet," Keiichiro explained.

"Wait!" Mew Ichigo jumped up, "The Galactic Alliance says that you can't colonise a planet that has intelligent life on it! It's one of the main galactic rules! First, Do not destroy Planets. Second, do not reveal the Alliance to underdeveloped species and third, do not colonise planet that belongs to intelligent life," Mew Ichigo recited one of the first things that she learned in primary school.

"Yes," Ryou said, "But they died out before humans discovered this planet and colonised it. We have checked secretly through the Galactic Alliance's data and records, and yes, this planet was labeled Terra Nullius therefore humans claimed it and voila, here we are, naming the continents the same and everything but we also found that whatever is attacking us, the technology and race isn't listed under the Alliance, so we are dealing with an unidentifiable enemy," Ryou explained.

"Why don't you get the Alliance to help you?" Mew Ichigo asked.

"Ha!" Ryou snorted, "Would they listen to us!" He mocked loudly, "They would only evacuate us and murder whatever is harming us, not to mention why would they listen to us? Two guys running a pink cafe? I mean… Seriously?" He asked Mew Ichigo. Her skin pricked at his rude tone, she felt like he was mocking her intelligence. She felt her hair on her neck stand on edge and a hiss rumbled in her throat before Keiichiro leaned forward, grabbing her attention.

"Don't worry about the Alliance, we can deal with it ourselves because we have concluded what killed this race of ancient people. It was the main reason why I was called onto the Shirogane Team, because I'm a bit of a U.M.A expert, Unidentified Mysterious Animals," Keiichiro explained as a picture of a Para Para came onto the screen, "This is a Para Para, it is a parasite type of animal and we have found them before alongside the ruins. They seek out hosts to live happily in because they are easy pray, no defences and slow moving creatures but when they infect a creature, they become a Chimera Anima," He explained.

"That is what you fought," Ryou said as Mew Ichigo froze up, "They become powerful creatures, able to control them and they can become vicious things while the Para Para lives happily inside, feeding off its energy. We believe these animals are just tools by the enemy and it wiped out the previous civilisation. While researching, we found that a way to fight back was with our animals, and our top picks were endangered animals," He said, Mew Ichigo thought back to the Red Data Animal Exhibition.

'Is that why I had saw the Iriomote Yamaneko?' She wondered, half knowing that she was somehow right.

"Animals have to constantly fight to survive, it's in their genes to fight and are attached to the planet they are on. We think the civilisation had the same idea but couldn't do it in time so we took over it, The Mew Project," He smiled and looked at her, "We picked five animals, all on the Red Data Animal list, you must have picked it up by now," Ryou grinned. He stood up and walked over to the wide-eyed Mew Ichigo, "I do not know how it works, but the animal you are bonded with gives you power, power to fight these creatures that are threatening this planet again. The last people here died but we have one final chance! One weapon that hasn't even been thought of! The most powerful warrior, the most incredible biological weapon," Ryou looked down on her, proud at the achievement sitting in front of him.

"You mean…"

"You were injected with Iriomote Yamaneko genes, they spliced with your own human DNA! You know have the abilities of a human and Iriomote Yamaneko mixed with an unbelievable ancient technology! You are our defence! Our weapon!" He exclaimed. Mew Ichigo stepped back, her body trembling as if shocked by an electrical pulse.

"WHAT!" She exclaimed, her ears flat to her head and her tail lashed around in fury, "I'm half cat! YOU DIDN'T EVEN ASK ME!" Mew Ichigo hissed at Ryou. He was taken back at her reaction, everything was going along perfectly until now. He stared at her however her heated glare didn't falter once. Ryou felt his blood boil as Mew Ichigo's glare ticked him. His ice blue eyes pierced into her as he towered over her, he tried to control his lips to prevent himself from baring his fangs.

"Don't you get it cat girl?" He jeered at her, "Did you hear anything that we said? We told you all that we know, do I have to repeat it in a simpler form?" He asked her but didn't wait for her response, "Let's see, Alien. Bad. Hurt Earth. Kill Humans. Kill people before humans. You. Final Defence. Only Weapon. You fight them." He said slowly. Mew Ichigo's heart tugged at her as she flattened her ears and tail.

'Why do I feel like I'm being scolded?' She thought. She quickly fought by this feeling, letting her teenage side fill her mind, body and soul at full force.

"BUT WHY ME! WHY ONLY ME!" She yelled back. Keiichiro stood between the two, watching them exchange heated comments like a tennis match.

'Cat fight huh? I guess Ryou overdid it a little bit,' Keiichiro thought when Mew Ichigo's comment struck him.

"Wait," he interrupted them, "You're not alone Mew Ichigo," Keiichiro stated, getting her full attention. Relief and amazement flashed in her bright pink eyes.

"I'm not?" She echoed, wanting to be reassured that she wasn't the only one going through this nightmare. Ryou looked at her, eyeing her around her body while she was distracted.

'She must have a scar from the injection site, but it could be anywhere,' He thought. He sighed and face palmed himself, 'I have to do this…' He thought irritably. He inhaled deeply, absorbing the scents around him. He blocked out Keiichiro's scent and focused on the Mew in front of him. She had a strange natural scent that seemed to calm Ryou's nerves slightly with a hint of strawberries and a dapple of maple syrup. 'She smells too sweet,' He thought to himself as he focused on her again, as he searched for the scent of fresh skin. The similar smell to his mark on his neck. He finally pinpointed it, the smell of newly formed skin with that strange, peculiar scent that radiated off any artifact that they had dug up. Mew Ichigo found Ryou staring her down, she flinched back at this, his gaze seemed heated and bored into her. She shifted back slightly, his gaze tingling her nerves.

"Here!" he exclaimed as his hand rushed in between her legs. She jumped back as she felt his hand brush against her inner thigh, unfortunately sending her backwards. She didn't feel her cat instincts kick in, her human emotions running amuck as horrid images when through her head. Keiichiro cradled his forehead in his hands, sighing at Ryou's naivety towards girls.

"GET OFF ME!" She screamed as her body hit the floor, Ryou's body towering over her like a lion over a trapped gazelle. She felt his hand grasp her right thigh and push it up. Her complexion changed from a slight flush of total anger and outrage to sickly pale colour, her face wrought with shock and fear.

'I knew it! I shouldn't have gone with them!' She thought as she realised Ryou was just inspecting something odd on her leg. She sat up more and lean forward to see a discoloured scar on her leg.

"That was where it…!" She exclaimed, the kitten flashing in her mind yet again.

"This is where infusion took place, where the Iriomote Yamaneko's nucleic acid and genetic code was injected into you," Ryou explained as she studied the strange love heart, tear-drops and line pattern that she observed on her glove and Strawberry Bell. She glanced at the table were it sat before looking back at Ryou's strong, blue gaze. "Everyone in the Mew Project gets a Mew Mark, and we sent out five different DNA samples. So there are five of you, you'll have to find them quick-" Mew Ichigo's slightly raised, chucky boots made contact with Ryou's gut, sending waves of pain throughout him and contracting his diaphragm, painfully forcing out his breath. He clutched his stomach as Mew Ichigo stood up, victorious, her ears erect and tail swaying around proudly.

"That was sexual harassment you jerk!" She spat at him as Keiichiro held back a chuckle as Ryou gave a glare to Mew Ichigo.

"You overdid it Ryou… Again," Keiichiro sighed, trying to settle down to prevent laughing.

"You…. I thought that showing it was easier for your brain to comprehend it," He hissed as his body was rocked with anger and pain. His cat genes surged, screaming at him to fight back and scold the defiant kitten before him, "If it wasn't for me you wouldn't even have your powers," He groaned as he stood up. She flicked her tail around, slightly ignoring him before her fur stood on edge with a realization.

"How do I change back!" She asked him, "I can't go back like this!". Keiichiro glanced down as he turned off the power to the projector.

"Ningen Kokufuku, say that while pressing down on the Mew Pendant," Keiichiro informed her, pointing to the yellow pendant. She placed three fingers on it and took a breath.

'Please work…'

"Ningen Kokufuku," She breathed as heat and warmth overcame her. She gasped at the feeling as her ears slide back down and her tail shrunk back into her spine. The Strawberry Bell and her clothes erupted into pink light and receded back into the Mew Pendant like streaming tidal water. Her slightly ruffled and dirty school uniform appeared on her body again in a flash of pink light that didn't even last a second. The warm yet somehow skin-crawling feeling disappeared and she glanced down to the pendant which was now placed in the middle of her red bow on her sailor collar. She ran her hands down her body checking to see if it was truly her body. Human ears and no tail. She let out a breath of relief as a smile came across her face.

"So, it's that easy?" She asked them as they both looked away slightly but Ichigo didn't notice as happiness controlled her. She let out a jump of joy as her heart bubbled over, energy streaming to every limb of her body.

'Thank god for that!' She thought happily.

"Yeah…" Ryou murmured, "That easy…"

"So, how long do I have to fight?" Ichigo asked them, "Will I go back to normal after the threat is over?" She asked Ryou who flinched up. He sighed and looked up at her strawberry gaze, sparkling with hope and happiness.

'How long to fight? I wish you didn't have too…' He thought as her smile started to disappear, 'You should still be a normal girl'.

"What…" Her eyebrows lowered, "Is there something else you didn't tell me!" She demanded. Ryou clenched his teeth together with her tone as she crossed her arms and glanced off.

'Why does she understand! That the WHOLE world is at stake! Humanity and Animals are at stake! This force has killed a whole race before us and now they are coming for us…. Don't you get that!' His thoughts began to stack up like a pile fuel for a bomb fire, just waiting to be lit, 'We need to make sacrifices… We need to be strong! You can't be just doing this because you have too! REALLY!' Ichigo stared him down, making Ryou grind his teeth, 'All you care about is being normal and not knowing about this and chasing hopelessly after a boy!'

"Yes!" Ryou spat at her, "Once you defeat them, you can go back to your happy little life!" He retorted, his anger flying out of him. Keiichiro glanced at him with wide eyes, trembling at the giant mistake and lie he just made to a innocent girl that only just turned thirteen. Ryou's glare softened when he looked up at Keiichiro. He had been with him his whole life and he could perfectly read his expression in a nanosecond.

_Why did you say that?_

"Thank god!" She sighed, "I was scared for a second that I might be like this forever," She smiled before she turned to Keiichiro. He quick pulled on his poker face as Ichigo bowed to him. "May I see Aoyama-kun?" She asked him. He didn't reply for a second before nodding to her.

"Of course, it's the second room on the third floor," He instructed to her. She bowed in reply before taking off to the staircase.

The two men stood still in silence, watching her disappear and listening to Ichigo's bouncy footsteps as they disappeared. While rolling around in the mess they had just created.

"Ryou, why did you do that? Why did you tell her that?" Keiichiro asked as he slowly approached Ryou. He looked down and sighed. He sat down in a chair and cradled his head in his hands.

"I just said it…" He admitted, "I… I thought that if I told her the truth she may not co-operate…" He said, "I was just so angry that she doesn't get it… Doesn't get it at all…"

"But now, when she finds out it was a lie…" Keiichiro trailed off, unable to comprehend the result, "We don't want to betray her trust," Keiichiro said, sitting down next to Ryou. He leaned back and sighed as Ryou didn't reply.

"Why aren't you telling her then?" Ryou finally asked, Keiichiro glanced off, giving Ryou the answer he was looking for, "I'll tell her… I'll tell all of them but… not now," Ryou spoke up, Keiichiro simply nodded, agreeing as the afternoon sun broke through the stained glass windows of the café. They both gazed around as the events of the past seventy-two hours flashed by them. "The Mew Project, it really has started," Ryou sighed

"Your father," Keiichiro spoke up, "Would be very proud of you," He praised Ryou.

"Still… The first Mew Mew…" Ryou groaned as he held his stomach, "Why did it be her?" Keiichiro laughed at this as Ryou pouted, "She is bubbly, an airhead, thinks about love before everything else and is a dummy," He listed as Keiichiro smiled at him.

"Well, I guess it would be dull now will it?" Keiichiro smiled as he glanced at Ryou. His hazel eyes expanded as he glanced at Ryou who was furiously tapping the tabletop in front of him.

'Kicks me, yells at me, ignores me… Argh, it is so frustrating!' He thought, his eyebrows twitching with irritation. He felt that he would just explode with emotion spewing from his ears. Keiichiro tapped Ryou on the shoulder to get his attention.

"What!" He hissed as his fur stood on edge. Keiichiro pointed to the top of Ryou's head while his mouth gapped open. Ryou eyed him curiously and patted his head, "What's wron-" He began to ask when he felt furry cat ears poking through his blonde locks. Ryou's face dropped as he flicked his cat ears. "WHAT!" He exclaimed, jumping up to investigate his ears in the nearest bathroom. Keiichiro watched him go, trying to suppress a laugh as he heard confused exclamations from the bathroom. Ones about appearing to be a Neko Neko Ryou and the supposed image that him and Ryou had together.

Keiichiro looked off to the distance and sighed.

* * *

Ichigo sat down watching Masaya as he comfortably slept in a hospital bed. The bedside table was cluttered with medical equipment, the room was occupied by two other beds with thick white curtains. This room was pulled straight from a hospital wing. She reached out with her hand for his arm but she hesitated, not wanting him to wake up here. She sighed and retracted her arm and glanced out of the window.

"Aoyama-kun… You have no idea what has just happened to me…" She murmured quietly to his sleeping body, "I'm a superhero now, like Sailor Moon," she smiled before she looked back at him, "But… I want to finish this quickly so you ever find out… After all, until I'm finished I'm not human," She thought. She shivered for a second at the idea before she shook it off, "But, all I gotta do is finish this then I'll be normal," She sighed and went back to silently watching over him as the early sunset rays poured through the window.

"Hey…" Ryou's voice came into the room. Ichigo glanced at him for a second before looking back to Masaya.

"Thank you for saving us," She said quietly. Ryou walked over to her and leaned against the pale white walls.

"I can't let you die now can I?" He said simply, annoying her slightly, "Your our weapon,"

"Ha, I can tell you have excellent people skills," She sarcastically stated.

"More than you at least," he threw back, "I least I can say people's name without blushing and swooning," Ichigo's cheeks flared up slightly but she held her tongue and grunted back at him, knowing that he had won his battle.

He whistled quietly, grabbing Ichigo's attention. Soon, R-2000 appeared, flying up to Ryou. Ichigo's eyes followed the adorable ball of fluff, her insides wiggled around, reaching dangerous levels due to a cuteness overload.

"It's adorable!" She exclaimed, "What's its name?" She asked, Ryou shrugged and patted the flying ball.

"R-2000, You belong with Ichigo now," He told R-2000. Its eyes closed a little bit, saddened by this as Ryou patted him gently, "She will need you more than I do," Ryou said softly and scooped him up, "You'll still see me but you two need to be together all the time," He announced as he passed R-2000 to Ichigo. She looked up at him, amazed at his soft, gentle and caring tone as she picked him up. "You name him okay? Come here if you need anything," Ryou said, folding his arms up over his head as he began to walk out of the room. He stopped and turned around, "I'll take him home, so go home whenever you want…" He paused for a while, letting a silence settle around them, "Thank you Mew Ichigo," He murmured before walking off as he felt his human ears slowly morph into cat ears again.

'I can't tell her, but there is some time before it happens…' He thought has he waked off to his room.

* * *

**Zoey Hoshi:** Phew, all done. Perfectionism strikes again =^.^= If anyone gets confused at the exposition part, please tell me because I will fix it again and again until it is perfect. It isn't too important, the Alliance and etc. More important for the planned sequel, so it was only really background information! I wonder how Mint is doing?


	17. Birds of a Feather Flock Together

**Author's Note**: Since I have stated in my last chapter that this isn't the original Earth, I decided to elaborate on it. I was in Earth and Environmental Science class and I was looking at old maps of the world from Devonian Period etc. And I decided that the planet looks similar to Earth during the Glacial Maximum (Ice Age, so around 30 mya) just no massive glaciers and not that cold. So North America is still connected with Asia, only just though and Red Sea is only just formed and Australia is almost disconnected from New Guinea.

A link so you can see a map for yourself - .

**Note:** I am Australian, and we have alternative ways of spelling certain words from America. Eg. Mum/Mom, -ise/-ize etc.

I know it is a major pain to do this, but please leave comments/reviews etc. because it **really** does cheer me up, knowing that this story is actually read and liked by people. **Thank you and sorry for all this!**

* * *

**Chapter 17: Birds of a feather flock together**

'Blue eyes… Beautiful blue eyes… I never noticed it before,' Mint wondered as she stared deeply into mysterious, deep ocean blue eyes in front of her. They glittered so perfectly, the person was strangely mesmorising.

"Hah," Madeline sighed as she brushed her sprawling hair, "I'm sick to death of Wahhayi-sensei lecturing about the Theory of Simultaneous Homogenous Planet formation, it is honestly rubbish," She complained.

"Well…" Hitomi shifted around, "I guess he just wants everyone to accept scientific theory," She added, her voice was quiet as she stepped ever so closer to Mint.

"He is just an Atheist extremist," She added, Hitomi breathed relieved that she hadn't angered Madeline, "Honestly, they have found many planets that are almost identical to each other! How can that be explained scientifically!" She ranted, her nose stuck up in the air as she stated rude comments about their science teacher, "They all look slightly different due to different orbits and ages," She then pulled out some make up out of an expensive purse, "I've heard that the original Earth looks a bit different than this one, I want to travel to it with mother and father one day," She continued to babble on about her father

Hitomi sighed and she looked over a Mint. Mint had an almost expressionless face as she continued to stare intently.

"Mint Ane-chan, are you okay?" Hitomi piped up, snapping Mint out of the blue gaze, "You have been staring into that mirror since we got here," She pointed out as Mint saw that the mysterious person was just her reflection. She shook her head slightly and turned to Hitomi's burning gaze. Mint was unnerved how much more her gaze burned into her. However, it was a gradual burn like molten lava, creeping down her back and upper arms.

"I'm fine," Mint replied, glancing off to the side, avoiding eye contact with Hitomi, "Just I feel a little tired," Mint lied. Hitomi eyed her intently before walking out of the bathroom.

"I'll wait for you two at the gate," Hitomi said, glancing back at Mint and Madeline and left the clean bathroom. Madeline shifted over to Mint and glanced around before speaking.

"She doesn't say much," She commented to Mint.

"She is new to this, give her time," Mint sternly told Madeline.

"But if my father were to find out," Madeline continued, putting on blue black mascara, "I don't know how much trouble I'll be in… She's new money!". Mint looked at Madeline, her pupils contracting to the size of a pinhead. She felt the hair on her shoulders and neck stand up, ruffling up as Madeline continued to babble on.

"Well, I'm going ahead," Mint gasped as she looked at her reflection again. Her heart thudded as she observed herself. She quickly walked out, holding her chest as her heart threatened to jump out.

'What was that?' Mint wondered as she slowly walked to gate.

"So, why are we all walking home again?" Mint piped up as the three walked down the street. Hitomi stretched her arms up over her head, relaxing herself in the glorious sunlight.

"It's nice to be in the sunlight you know," Hitomi replied, "Have a look around and all that,". Mint looked at the scene around her, the tall buildings of Tokyo that reached up to the glorious, blue sky. She looked up, watching the small, fluffy cloud creep across the blue backdrop and she felt her body relax, her tension evaporated as her heart fluttered. She took a deep breath, and mimicked Hitomi's stretch. She felt the tingle of Hitomi's gaze for millisecond before the relaxed sensation in her muscles took over, lulling her.

"I have to admit," Madeline piped up, "This isn't as bad as I first thought,".

"Do you two just get driven every where?" Hitomi asked. Mint and Madeline nodded in reply, much to Hitomi's amazement. "Then I'll show you the plus side to walking home too!" Hitomi announced as she ran to a small ice cream stand. Mint and Madeline gave each other a small glance before they followed. Hitomi started to talk to the owner of the stand, talking casually like he was a family friend. Mint and Madeline found this type of friendship strange, knowing that their parents wouldn't approve of such things.

'However, my father is a utter, com-' Mint started to think before Hitomi interrupted her thoughts.

"These are my new friends, Mint Ane-chan and Adler-san," Hitomi said, introducing Mint and Madeline to the old man who smiled at them. Yet the way he smiled at them, it wasn't a creepy, perverted smile that the two had feared of since they started noticing strangle looks they get on buses and trains but one of warmth, friendly warmth.

"Ah, so these two girls are helping you? Thank you so very much girls for helping Hitomi fit in her new school," He said, bowing. Mint and Madeline bowed back, insisting it was no trouble. "So, I'm guess you not just here to chat Hitomi-kun," He smiled at Hitomi.

"You know me too well!" Hitomi smiled, "I'll have 2 scoops of triple swirl," She said as the man got an ice cream cone out. She spun around to the two bewildered girls, "What do you want? I'll pay for you,". They looked at her before looking at all of the options they had.

"I'll have double chocolate," Madeline said, "It's been a while since I've had something like that,".

Mint continued to look around, unable to decide, haven't had something as sweet as ice cream for quite a while when her eyes landed on a flavour that she had never heard of before.

"That one," She said automatically. She then registered what it was, vanilla with honey and berry swirls.

'That is going to be too sweet! Why did I pick that one? Actually what made me do that without me thinking!' She wondered as Hitomi passed her the ice cream. She looked at it, regretting picking it as Hitomi paid the old man and bided farewell. She then hesitantly licked it and was slammed with sweetness, overloading her body. However, she loved it. Her body wasn't rejecting it but longing for it. Her mouth watered as she continued to eat it, her tongue running over the ice cream. It felt like it was being absorbed through her tongue, all of the flavour of the berry and honey, satisfying a hidden hunger for sweet food. Mint swallowed the ice cream and ran her tongue over the roof of her mouth, and felt that her taste buds had transformed into tiny bristles. Her mouth watered up as a crawling uncertainty swept over Mint.

'What has happened to me?' Mint thought as she silently ate her ice cream, the sweetness slowly relieving her growing ball of warped fear.

* * *

Ichigo sighed as she walked out of the school gates. She looked at the little R-2000 that was hanging from her bag like a little keychain.

'So much as happened…' She thought, memories flashing through her mind, blurring her conscious. She shook her head to rid herself of worry, trying to forget all about it. However, when you are Earth sole protector, forgetting it is quite difficult as Ichigo was discovering.

"What do I do R-2000?" She said quietly, knowing that the little robot would pick it up. He made no sound as people continued to walk passed them until Ichigo walked down as small, deserted alley. R-2000 then grew in size and flew around Ichigo, sensing how a gloomy aura surrounded her like mist on a miserable day. "Hmmm… R-2000…I can't keep calling you that!" Ichigo said, looking at the little fuzzy robot, "You need a name now," She stated. She pondered for a while, standing still as the little robot buzzed around her. "Well… I could… name you after Aoyama-kun," She giggled and blushed, "Well, if you had his first name, it'll get a bit weird… Ma… Ma…Masa? No… All I would need to say would be ya then it's his name… Umm, then… Sha? Masha? Yeah! How's Masha?" She asked the little robot, who did his little purr that sounded a bit like a bird purring. He snuggled up to her cheek, his soft fur almost tickling her skin.

"Masha! Masha!" He repeated.

"Okay, Masha it is!" She laughed, snuggling Masha back.

"Momomiya-san," Masaya's voice sounded behind her. Ichigo froze up and Masha turned back into his little keychain form as Ichigo spun around to see the warm gaze of Masaya.

"Aoyama-kun!" She gasped, relieved to see that he looked fine. He walked perfectly, not hobbling or limping in pain. His face didn't grimace with agony, it was warm and gentle like normal.

'Thank god, he is all okay,' Ichigo sighed as Masaya approached her.

"I'm sorry about yesterday…" He started, "I've been staying up late lately and straining myself… So I'm sorry for fainting on you yesterday," Masaya said, looking off with embarrassment.

'Is that what he believes? He doesn't remember the Chimera Anima? Well, I guess shock wiped the memory from him,' Ichigo thought.

"It's okay Aoyama-kun, I'm glad that you are okay," She smiled at him as he pulled out a familiar looking handkerchief.

"Momomiya-san, I was wondering if you would come with me to return this to that girl from Saturday," He asked her as Ichigo's memory flew back to when it began. Her brow twitched as she remembered the rude girl.

"Huh… yeah okay," Ichigo replied, trying to hide her disgust for the blue haired girl. Masaya smiled and turned around and led the way from the alleyway. They walked along the road, just every now and then making a few comments.

"Momomiya-san, after yesterday are you feeling okay?" He asked, almost innocently as Ichigo closed her eyes.

"Yep, I'm okay!" She smiled back, trying not to let her gloomy uncertainty through.

'Ugh… I'm lying through my teeth here! To Aoyama-kun!' Ichigo thought as Masaya talked about the exhibition and school when the hazy memory of Saturday came to her mind.

'Wait… We were all bathed in that light… Weren't we? So… Perhaps, those girls could be the ones I'm looking for! So… Then I better check this girl out,' She thought as they approached a large mud-brick mansion with a blue titled roof.

"What kind of house is this!" Ichigo blurted out as Masaya chucked at her facefall. He pressed the little intercom and waited for a response, however just got a garbled mess of static.

"Maybe it's out?" Masaya pondered as Ichigo stood next to him.

'He is so close to me…' She thought, her eyes looked over his figure when she came across a patch of discoloured skin. 'That! That's from yesterday! Maybe… Did he see it? All of that… Because of me… If I knew of my powers… I could have prevented that earlier…' She beat herself up as she looked at her empty hands, 'Right now… I maybe look normal but all of that supernatural power is surging throughout my body. It seems unreal.' She looked up at Masaya who's gaze flicked away, 'Was he… looking at me?' She thought as her heart began to thud and pound. She swallowed hard and let her gaze drop down his arm to his free hand. Her hand trembled as she imaged the feeling of his hand caressing her cheek and shoulder so gently and kindly. She took a deep breath and slowly moved her hand to his, nervous energy pouring out of her, pulsating in her ears and crawling down her spine.

"Ichigo! Ichigo!" Masha's quiet voice chirped in her ear, "Hide ears! Hide Tail!" He instructed.

"Wha-" Ichigo said as she felt her tail flick around and her cat ears twitch as she heard a nearby dog running up to them.

'WHAT!' She unknowingly mimicked Ryou, resting her arms over her head, covering the large black cat ears, flatting them to her head. She curled her tail up and under her skirt, wrapping it around her waist as her heart rate skyrocket. Nervous energy increased, making her skin tremble as Masaya's gaze turned to her.

"Are you okay Momomiya-san?" He asked her as she jumped slightly

"Y-yep! Of course!" She replied, trying to control her slippery tongue, "Just stretching!" She announced to him before the sound of little yelps caught their attention. They looked down at the large black barred gate to see a little, brown, fluffy dog.

"Ningen Kokufuku!" Ichigo repeated silently until she felt her ears and tail shrink back into place. She trembled bizarre feeling in created but the fact that it was gone gave an overpowering sense of relief to Ichigo.

"Hey there!" Masaya said, kneeling down to pat it. It barked back in reply, absorbing all of the attention he was getting.

* * *

"Mickey! Don't bark at the-" Mint announced however then recognised the two thirteen year olds, "Oh… From the exhibition?" She echoed as she thought back and smiled.

"Hello, Aizawa-san," Masaya asked, his voice half wavered, wondering how to approach the high-class girl, "I have come to return you handkerchief," He informed Mint. She nodded and opened the gate to let them inside. "I looked at the tag and asked the shop-keeper for your address," He explained, "Are you okay after Saturday?" He asked, trying to start a conversation.

"Just call me Mint-san," She told them, bowing her head formally, "I am okay after that, I hope you two are okay…" She paused, waiting for their names.

"I'm Masaya Aoyama and this is Ichigo Momomiya," He introduced them both, "Thank you for the handkerchief the other day, but I believe it to be wrong to not return it," He said.

'I have to look for the mark!' Ichigo thought as she started to scan Mint's body for a strange looking mark however she could just see normal pale skin, her conservative uniform covering the rest of her skin.

However Mint noticed how Ichigo's strawberry eyes were wandering all over her body, searching. Her hair on her body ruffled with irritation and she quickly gaze Ichigo a glance as her pupils contracted again, her iris widening out. Ichigo flinched for a second and took a step back as Mint took back the handkerchief.

"Thank you Mint-san," Masaya bowed in farewell.

"I'll show you out," Mint announced, walking them to the gate however she grabbed Ichigo's wrist as she hesitantly passed her. Ichigo looked at her confused when Mint leaned in close, as if telling her a secret.

"You are weirder, more vulgar than I thought! He is honestly out of your league!" She hardly whispered in Ichigo's ear before she pushed Ichigo out of the gate and closed it, Mint glaring at her the whole time before she swiftly turned back to the mansion, Micky jumping around her feet.

'Vuglar…?' Ichigo thought to herself, as she watched Mint disappear into the house behind her.

"Momomiya-san, thank you for coming with me," Masaya said, snapping Ichigo from dark thoughts. He smiled at her and sighed, "To be honest, I was a little nervous but I was able to do it with you here…." He admitted, making Ichigo's heart thump in her chest, "It sounds weird… But you calmed me down," He then looked at his watch and then back to Ichigo. He smiled at her warmly and reached down and gently held her hand. "Thank you Momomiya-san," He said as he slightly fiddled with her hand in his.

'It so small and delicate…' He noted to himself, 'And I never noticed it before but… Is her skin always as soft as silk?' He thought before he let go of her hand.

"See you tomorrow," He waved in farewell, "I got to get home and get ready for cram school," and he turned around as Ichigo faintly returned his goodbye as her body was rocked with a solid heartbeat.

"He touched by hand… I'm in heaven! It was so warm, so warm…" Ichigo said, clapping her hands together as her eyes turned into love hearts. She began to walk home when she thought back to Mint's reaction to her searching Mint body. "Masha… That wasn't a normal gaze now was it?" Ichigo asked Masha and she came to a halt, "A human wouldn't make a face like that now would it?" She wondered aloud as she stopped in her tracks and glanced back to the large mansion. "Could it be an affect of the animal?" Ichigo wondered.

* * *

'That girl is so strange!' Mint thought as she dropped the handkerchief on her bedside table and collapsed back on the large bed. She looked up at the ceiling fan that slowly rotated around.

'Saturday… That's when this began to happen…' She rolled onto her side and tried to close her eyes and nap. However sunlight continued to pour into the room, spilling the light against the walls and reflecting onto the large posters of a model posing with the name 'Zakuro' beneath it. Mint's eyelids didn't block out much light as the light only irritated her and the longer she lazed in the sunlight, the more awake she felt. She sat up, groaning in displeasure, cradling her head. She opened her eyes and looked around her room and pondered what to do. She stood up and proceeded to practice her ballet however her mind kept wandering away. Mint gave up and sighed, sitting back on the bed. 'I'm so bored…' She glanced at her phone, knowing that Hitomi's number was in her contacts. She reached out and started writing a text message to Hitomi however her finger hovered over the send button.

"What am I doing!" She asked, putting her phone down, "I've never texted her and not to mention… I've never wanted to send a text to anyone," Mint said aloud as she rolled over, "I've never neede-" Her aloud pondering was interrupted by Micky's barking. Mint sat up and walked to her balcony. She peered out and saw, yet again the pink-haired girl, Ichigo. Mint groaned and started to walk, yet again downstairs. "What the hell does that stalker want!" Mint vexed as she opened the large doors to her house.

Ichigo climbed up the tall, metallic gates and jumped down, much to Micky's delight, who jumped around her in excitement.

"MICKY! Get away from that vulgar girl! She might give you an infection of stupidity!" Mint openly insulted Ichigo. Ichigo tensed up as Mint approached her, "If you take one step closer, I will scream out that I'm being raped by a delusional, vermin-infested wench!" Mint exclaimed, standing up tall as the hair all over her back, shoulders and neck stood on edge and her pupil contracted yet again. Her body started to slightly sway to and fro as Ichigo's blood boiled with anger.

"You malicious snob!" Ichigo hissed back at her, her hair too, standing on edge and held Mint's furious gaze.

However, it was during this when from the nearby tree a floating Para Para slipped into the yard. It moved its little, transparent body around, as it searched for a host body as constant fear of predators plagued its mind. Its little, almost microscopic, black dot eyes searched around, viewing the world in infrared. Micky then sensed that another organism was in the property and spun around to see the long tentacles reach out and wrap around Micky's body. The little dog yelped as the Para Para's body stuck to him and with two pincers, bit the little dog. The dog yelped again as his wound opened up and the Para Para took no time to inject itself into the wound from the inside out.

Mint spun around as she heard the yelp to see Micky's body shaking and morphing. Her and Ichigo's anger disintegrated in millisecond and was replaced with fear as Micky grew into a large Chimera Anima. Ichigo stepped back as she remember the other day.

"CHIMERA ANIMA!" Masha reported, appearing next to Ichigo as Mint collapsed to the ground as Micky walked up to her. Ichigo ripped the Mew Pendant from her ribbon without any hesitation.

"Mew Mew Strawberry! Metamorphosis!" She yelled after she kissed it, letting it absorb her genetic code to allow her transformation. She welcomed the explosion of light that encased her, morphing her body and preparing her for combat. She broke free of the light, as Mew Ichigo. Mint stared at Mew Ichigo, bewildered before a low growl from the Chimera Anima got her attention.

"Micky… Micky!" She cried out as a large paw slammed down next to her frail body. The large dog bared its fangs at Mint, slobber drooling from them as it eyed her down like a slab of meat. It's pray.

"Mint!" Mew Ichigo screamed running towards Mint, "Get away!" Mint glanced at her and scrambled up, her fingers digging into the lawn to pull herself in safety. Mickey lifted a paw up and aimed for Mint. He then quickly without any hesitation clawed at Mint's back. Her terrified scream filled the courtyard as Micky's claws just barely missed her skin, ripping away at her dress. Mint fell to the ground, her body trembling in fear in front of Mew Ichigo. Mew Ichigo's strawberry eyes widened as her gaze fell on her back, above her bra strap. There was a light pink mark, a scar of two wings.

"A Mew Mark!" She exclaimed as Masha formed Mint's Mew Pendant that had a blue pattern, instead of pink like Mew Ichigo's. Mint looked at her curiously as Chimera Micky stood on its back legs and slammed its paws down on them.

"Strawberry Bell! Ribbon Strawberry Bubble!" Ichigo yelled, grabbing the Strawberry Bell as it formed, protecting Mint and herself. Mint looked up in fear as Mew Ichigo looked back down on Mint. "This is going to sound a bit strange Mint, but do you remember Saturday? That earthquake?" She asked Mint as Chimera Micky ignored the pain and forced more weight on Strawberry bubble, pressing down as he heard it beginning to crack, "Mint!" Mew Ichigo repeated with more urgency in her voice.

"Yes…" Mint replied to Mew Ichigo.

"You had a dream right? You began one with something! This is going to sound strange but listen to something deep inside!" Mew Ichigo pleaded as a crack began to form on the Strawberry Bubble, "You have changed haven't you? There is another side to you! Listen to it!" She pleaded to the confused Mint.

"I don't know what the hell you are talking about!" She said, her eyes landing on the Mew Pendant. The crack expanded and Mint took a deep breath, preparing for the end when a stirring feeling exploded in her body. A dawning of realisation that came to her as quick as lightning. The crack encased the bubble and it began to fall apart.

'That dream with the bird… It wasn't…' She thought as she kissed the Mew Pendent.

"Ribbon Strawberry Check!" Mew Ichigo yelled, the bubble cracking apart as the beam of light shot up. Chimera Anima Micky jumped away, the beam searing its left paw and cheek.

"Mew Mew Mint Metamorphosis!" Mint called out as blue light swirled around her. She felt bones extend from her shoulder blades, lots of tiny and little bones and joints as her skin stretch out over them. The same process occurred with her tailbone but not to the same extent as Mew Ichigo's tailbone. The most peculiar feeling was the formation of feathers from her pores and then popping out. Her bones began hollow and her body somehow became lighter. She felt the light then stick to her skin and create light-weight clothes, a small, strapless blue dress with blue gloves that ended at her wrists. She had matching, ankle-length boots with a slight heel and a garter and puffy armbands with dark blue lace. It was completed with a matching choker and the Mew Mint Pendant attached itself perfectly to it.

"Mew Mint!" Mew Ichigo cheered as Mew Mint observed herself.

"This is so surreal!" She commented as Chimera Anima Micky growled at them.

"Mew Mint, we need to use our powers to flush out a parasite that has taken over Micky and he'll go back to normal, okay," Mew Ichigo informed the confused Mew Mint. "Just listen to the instincts of the animal you are bonded with!" She instructed as Micky lunged for them. Mew Ichigo easily dodged, her muscles allowing her to run out of the way. Mew Mint jumped backwards and then used her instincts and flapped the blue wings on her back furiously and she felt her legs hover off the ground, her body floating midair.

"I can fly!" Mew Mint exclaimed as a rush of euphoria filled her body as she soared up into the darkening sky. The air rushed over her skin, ruffling through her hair and feathers. Mew Ichigo watched amazed as Micky lunged for her.

"Ribbon Strawberry Bubble!" She commanded again, protecting herself.

"Stay still!" Mew Mint instructed as she stopped and listened out, "Mint Arrow," She called as two large feathers floated from her wings and in a flash of blue light created a bow and arrow. It had the same glass heart and yellow ribbon design with two large wings reaching out from it but in the glass heart was Mew Mint's mark. Mew Mint pointed the Mint Arrow down at the scene below and took a deep breath.

"Ribbon Mint Gatling!" She yelled as she released the bow and an arrow of light blue split into several as it rained down around Chimera Micky, kicking up dust around the battlefield. Micky looked around, his vision clouded by the dust as Mew Ichigo disappeared into it. Mew Ichigo took this chance to break the bubble and escape, jumping onto the tall, brick fence.

"Together!" Mew Ichigo called out, aiming her Strawberry bell at Chimera Anima Micky.

"RIBBON!" They both yelled in unison, their weapons charging up, Mew Ichigo aligning the glass heart, increasing the power that flowed through her body.

"STRAWBERRY CHECK!" Mew Ichigo yelled the beam of pink light shot towards Micky.

"MINT ECHO!" Mew Mint called out, a large blue arrow pelted down to Micky. The two attacks hit him at once, the overload of heat quickly flushed out the Para Para and into Masha's awaiting mouth.

"Recovery Complete!" Masha purred.

Mew Ichigo jumped off the wall and walked to the mess they had created, Mew Mint glided down as she searched for Micky's body. She landed delicately and took a few steps forward.

"Micky?" She called when a small body jumped out of the glowing light and onto her. Mew Mint swept up Micky in her arms, snuggling her face into Micky's long fur, trying to hide her tears that trickled down her cheeks. "Thank goodness, you're okay!" She cried into Micky as Mew Ichigo watched on. She smiled however felt a strange feeling. Like a trickle of cold yet warm liquid down her neck, as if she and Mew Mint were… Being watched. She spun around but saw nothing. She glanced back to Mew Mint and smiled.

"Thank you for saving Micky…" She said, her eyes glancing away, "Sorry about before…as well…" She trailed off, not looking Mew Ichigo in the eyes once as slight embarrassed blush broke out on her face.

"Thank you for helping me Mew Mint, you were purrfect!" Mew Ichigo giggled.

"Never make a pun joke. Never again." Mew Mint grimaced. Mew Ichigo facepalmed and groaned too.

"True… So true… Sorry, who would like a superhero that makes puns?" Mew Ichigo said as she looked off to the side.

"No one intelligent," Mew Mint added, looking off to the side as well before Mew Ichigo walked up to Mew Mint.

"I better take you to Shirogane and Akasaka-san, they'll give you the run down better than I could…" Mew Ichigo announced, "Just do this, Ningen Kokufuku," Mew Ichigo said and transformed back into Ichigo. Mew Mint did the same and welcomed the sight of her normal self again, except she wished for her wings again.

'Flying… That was amazing…' She thought to herself as scooped Micky up.

"Follow me Mint," Ichigo smiled, Mint flinched at how she used her first name but she didn't argue, knowing that they both shared a bond like no other.

'So… From what I gather… I'm a superhero now," Mint thought as Ichigo lead her to Café Mew Mew, 'So that means that I'm important for Earth right? Hehe,' Her expression darkened as the thought dawned on her, 'I'll show you father… Just how important I am not just to you, not just Seiji Oni-san, but to the whole world,'.

* * *

**ZoeyHoshi:** Oh! I just burned 4kids! Haha, I was watching HikaYagami's 4kids Tokyo Mew Mew edits and I thought how HORRIBLE the cat puns were. Yeah, puns are cheesy jokes and are sometimes, yet rarely funny. You need proper execution for them, how this does not exist for 4kids.

**4kids:** OMFG! We can put another pun here! OH! Screw the original Japanese score!... AMERICANISATION! Because we couldn't give a rat's ass about Japan or the rest of the world!

**ZoeyHoshi:** 4kids, you are just sad… Just sad… Stereotyping everyone and everything….


	18. The Little Watery Rumour

**Author's Note**: Three weeks until I finish Year 11! Woo! However that means exams. I honestly think I won't be able to pump out another Mew Project until the 20th. Lettuce, poor little Lettuce. This chapter was hard due to the fact that Finless Black Porpoises aren't studied that much so I had to dig so damn deep to find some characteristics!

**Note:** I am Australian, and we have alternative ways of spelling certain words from America. Eg. Mum/Mom, -ise/-ize etc.

I know it is a major pain to do this, but please leave comments/reviews etc. because it **really** does cheer me up, knowing that this story is actually read and liked by people. **Thank you and sorry for all this!**

* * *

**Chapter 18: The Little Watery Rumour**

"Momomiya-san, your," The short woman stood in the doorway, interrupting the lesson. Everyone recognised her the sharp-faced, crabby office lady. She paused for a second as she slightly smiled, "Your uncle is here to pick you up right now," She announced.

"My… uncle?" Ichigo echoed, from her memory her uncle was still working on some remote Japanese island. However Ichigo nodded politely and bided farewell to her confused friends. Ichigo followed the lady down the concrete stairs and to the office, where he was.

Ichigo stopped dead in her tracks as her eyes laid upon the tall gentleman with a white, long-sleeve button-up shirt and a deep brown suit pants with two overall straps.

"Ichigo-san, it has been a long time," Keiichiro smiled as he walked up to Ichigo who was trying to hide her dumbfound expression. The office lady looked at the two, confused at their reaction to one other.

"You two… Don't look that related," She piped up. Keiichiro smiled gently, a smile that would melt any girl and wrapped an arm around Ichigo's shoulders. He leaned to rest his cheek on her forehead, his long bangs tickling her nose. Ichigo stood their blinking in confusion as Keiichiro chuckled and pulled her in close to his shoulder.

'Wait! What!' Ichigo thought as she could smell his masculine scent that was topped off with tea. Her heart started up again, like always, however she clenched her fists and concentrated on the formula for the area of kites and parallelograms to prevent an embarrassed and not to mention confused annoyed flush.

"Even though, we are very close," Keiichiro smiled charmingly, which devilishly destroyed all logical thoughts in the office lady's mind. She giggled like a school-girl, well like Ichigo around Masaya and said goodbye shyly. Keiichiro looked down on Ichigo, still holding her close and motioned towards the door.

"After the special lady," He whispered, destroying all of Ichigo's logical thought processes.

'He is seriously just doing this for fun now isn't he?' Ichigo thought to herself as they left Daikan Junior High School.

"Oh yeah…." Ryou said as he flicked through a book, he glanced up at Ichigo who was towering over him. Her strawberry glare tried to burn into him into submission but Ryou just looked at the immature kitten with cold apathetic blue eyes, "I forgot to tell _you_ that," He just said before he glanced back down at that book, "Man, you have mood swings, first you were fawning over that uniform of yours, that my I remind you, _I_ paid for and now here you are, taking out all your relationship frustration on me," He grinned fiendishly at her. With that, there was a dramatic shift in power, Ichigo stepped back and looked at Ryou, uncertain about whether he knew about her and Masaya before he chuckled and went back to his book. "Poor boy, it must be horrible having a fan girl like you," He murmured as Mint walked into the main room of Café Mew Mew.

Mint and Ichigo both adorned adorable waitress outfits, both custom made to their Mew forms. They both had a frilly and puffy white apron that had a love heart apron design to match Café Mew Mew's theme. The rest was made up of a button up, pleated dress with puffy sleeves with a little ribbon around the neck to add to the cuteness factor. Since the skirts were a little revealing, they were given short old-fashioned, white cotton bloomers to prevent any, unwanted, lustful attention. They were also given, custom made, black ,chunky shoes with hearts assigned to their Mew colour.

"I must say, you didn't slack off on quality for these… Are they designed by Chiyo Tengokuginga?" Mint asked as she felt the soft material.

"Yes, you have a sharp eye for elegant brands Mint-san," Keiichiro replied, smiling at the high-class girl, "Only the best for special ladies," He added.

"Why must we work here anyway?" Ichigo piped up, "I thought this place was just a cover? Like the Bat Cave,"

"Yes, but an empty place is pretty suspicious isn't it?" Ryou pointed out, "Not to mention this place _will_ attract girls, maybe even some Mew Mews or other compatible people for, if the worst happens and we need more Mews. Not to mention you girls can listen into conversations and pick up rumours of strange happenings and perhaps valuable information," He elaborated.

"Sound interesting," Mint said, sitting down on the chair as Keiichiro poured her some White Tea.

"I'm not sure though…" Ichigo sighed. Mint just sipped her tea delicately and Ryou heaved a sigh.

"It also pays, ten dollars an hour," He announced. Ichigo froze for a second as her brain revolved in all the possible ways to spend that money. Clothes, chocolate, jewelry and not to mention more chances to go on dates with Masaya. She puckered her lips although, not wanting Ryou to bathe in the fact he had partially won her over.

"Not to mention all the sweets, tea and cakes you could want, it's the least I could do to repay you girls," Keiichiro leaned in between Ichigo and Mint as they mentally imagined themselves swimming in chocolate, honey and everything sweet. Their hearts escalated in delight, not to mention Keiichiro's perfected lady-killer smile as he charmed them over.

"OKAY~!" Ichigo sung as her ears popped out in sheer joy while Mint pulled her skirt down over her pluming blue tail, trying to keep her composure.

* * *

"Have you seen Lettuce?" Lettuce watched the rule-breaking sneakers from under the stall door as the nasty voice of Yamaro-san broke the sound of a girl washing her hands. Lettuce watched her feet approach her stall, causing her to hug her legs closer to her body. She checked herself with hazy, watery eyes to make sure she was sitting on top of the toilet lid perfectly, hidden from Yamaro-san outside.

"Lettuce… No, I haven't," A voice replied. Lettuce swallowed her sobs down as Yamaro-san groaned, running her hands through her short, blood red hair. Her green eyes glanced around angrily, locating a closed stall behind her. Yamaro-san ignored the paper sign and knocked furiously on the door.

"Lettuce! You there!" She called out.

"That toilet is broken, its been locked this whole time," The voice replied, "She wouldn't be here, try the library," The girl replied. There was a long pause as Yamaro-san stood still, listening out. Lettuce stuffed her face into her knees and held her breath as her stampeding heartbeat reverberated in her ears. However, Yamaro-san gave up and stormed out of the bathroom. Lettuce breathed out and listened for the other girl to leave before returning to her lament.

'What has happened to me?' She thought as she held her head in her trembling hands. The door of the bathroom opened again as some more girls walked in, leaving Lettuce with the only option to wail silently. She dug her fingers into her scalp as her tears fell onto her black stockings, leaving large wet patching on her thighs and knees. Not that it mattered to Lettuce. Her reputation was already tarnished at this school, the clumsy nerd, always laughed at and teased by the outgoing and popular while being pitied silently by others. 'Now… What has happened?… These bizarre images of the ocean, dreams of water and swirling darkness…' Lettuce thought as her stomach turned. Her nerves trembled with fear. The thought of being trapped under volumes and volumes of blue, the light struggling to break through as the pressure started to fold on top of her body, pushing her down to the bottomless depths. Lettuce whimpered as she snapped out of the intrusive thought yet her body shivered with need.

She wanted to dive into the dark depths.

'Straight to my grave,' She cried mentally, 'Not to mention, I've eaten all the cans of tuna from the fridge and pantry at home…' She sobbed more, her tears traveling down her wet, shimmering cheeks.

"WHAT IS WRONG WITH ME?" She screamed out loud yet her voice raced by her larynx and into a newly formed, small Odontoceti. Her voice came out as a high-frequency whistle, distorted by a membrane in her nasal cavity. The girls in the bathroom looked around, holding their ears from the inhuman screech. Lettuce's choked on her 'scream' and the room was rapped in silence. Lettuce looked sightlessly down at her knees.

'Was… That me?' She wondered hopelessly as her stomach dropped down, swirling in a pool of dark water.

A groan followed the shocked silence as the girls pressed up against the wall of the bathroom, wildly looking around. The groan was metallic and sounded close, Lettuce listened as it increased in volume, groaning and wailing emitting from the pipes in the walls until it screamed. The taps were propelled, launched into the air by a volley of high-pressured water that poured into the tiled bathroom. The girls scream, collapsing to the ground, cold water lapping at their legs and feet. Lettuce watched, her cries blubbered out of her as the tide crept in. However, she couldn't escape it, the water was ceaseless and it was Lettuce's predator. The toilet beneath her moaned as water rose up the toilet bowl before it poured out under the lid like a putrid fountain. The water splashed up onto Lettuce's bottom and sides, adding a sickly chill to her. Her body was racked by terror.

'What happened… to me…?' She thought as a low-frequency moan escaped her.

* * *

"This is why I didn't like this idea!" Ichigo wailed as she tried balancing the weight of the tray in her hand.

"Table 3 needs a refill Ichigo," Mint called out as she sat on her chair. A few customers rolled their eyes at the supposed waitress who was perched on the chair. Ichigo set the order down on table 4 before stomping over to Mint.

"Please help!" She hissed at Mint, "You haven't become CEO of a company who pays you to sit down and do nothing, so work!" Mint just looked at Ichigo squarely before sighing.

"I am working, you just don't understand how," Mint told Ichigo in a matter-of-fact tone, "We have three jobs Ichigo, one we both have to be at the café, two we have to listen out for anything suspicious and three help out with the café," She finished as Ichigo tapped her foot.

"You are only doing two of your jobs!" She hissed before Mint put up her index finger to silence Ichigo. She then pointed down at the teapot and cup in front of her and smiled.

"I am taste testing the brews before it is released to the public, I am protecting them from poor quality and thus protecting us from bad business," She summed up as she sipped her tea, looking away from Ichigo to signify the end of the conversation.

"You snob!" Ichigo hissed, "I'm working my a-"

"Aya! Tell us!" The blonde haired Jibae-san squealed as she played with her food.

"Fine Yuri," The short, lean and bitchy looking black haired Abe-san smiled, "They say that a year ago from today that a first year confessed her love to the Captain of the Swimming Team," She started up, leaning into the centre of the table. Her companions leaned in except for Lettuce who glanced down at the cherry tart in front of her. "He rejected her and shoved her into the pool. She couldn't swim and she sunk, descending down to the depths of the pool. Her breath and life grasped and sucked from her lungs as her heart was shattered into little pieces," She finished her story as all the girls grinned at the ghost story. Ichigo and Mint had stopped their bickering to listen into their conversation, which thanks to their powers, was quite easily to accomplish. "It's a rumour just it explains the strange flood in the bathroom outside the pool today," Aya Abe finished as the red head piped up.

"It isn't summer, yet there as been splashing and overflowing water in the pool as well!" She added as Mint sighed.

"They are from Okumura Daifuzoku Junior High School," She said as Ichigo stared blankly as she heard the name.

"Okama Say-What?" Ichigo bumbled as Ryou walked up to the two girls who was standing still in a busy café.

"Okumura Daifuzoku," Ryou echoed as he walked up to the two girls, "Try and say it three times really fast without stumbling like a moron… Oh too late, you already are a moron," He smirked at Ichigo who hissed back at him and stomped off to take an order.

"I admire your style Ryou," Mint smiled at Ryou who squinted back at her.

"And I admire your courage to call me by my first name even though I am your boss," He snorted at her.

"What if I employed you to be my boss?" She smirked back at him, scoffing at him.

"No, I forced you to work in Keiichiro's café but I am graciously paying you," He said as Keiichiro walked out, helping Ichigo with the workload. He grimaced at the two rich kids conversation as sighed.

"Please be a little, or a tad formal in this setting. That type of conversation doesn't suit this cafe," He said as he walked by them. Ryou folded his arms as his skin prickled.

"What the hell could I talk about in this pussified gay bar!" He yelled back, "Oh My God! Your hair is SO cute! Where did you go? Oh, she was such a bitch" He teased Keiichiro as Ichigo walked back over to Mint.

"Are we still talking about the Okama school?" She asked confused. This only added to Ryou's frustration as his veins pulsated with anger.

"Get to work you two!" He yelled as his cat ears popped. Embarrassment and shock rose up his gut like burning, boiling water. He pressed his grey ears down into his blonde locks with his folded arms as the two girls walked over to Lettuce as she glanced down, three sets of burning eyes boring into her as they all giggled. However Mint and Ichigo both knew that it would be short-lived as Mint passed the angry Ichigo a strawberry parfait that would soon plastered their heavy make-up faces.

"Ryou, the world says no to child labour," Keiichiro smirked as he walked by him, teasing him as he tried his best to hide his ears.

"Well, I say no to cafés that make me look gay," Ryou pouted as he stormed up to his room while Keiichiro attended to the screaming girls to protect Ichigo and Mint. The three girls swooned over Keiichiro while the remains of a perfectly made strawberry parfait fell from their faces. Lettuce sat still and her large eyes looked up at her saviour.

"You're the girls from the museum!" She realised before she looked down at her dish, "You saved me again…"

"Why do you hang around them?" Ichigo asked her, "It just looks like they picked on you..." Ichigo said as Mint nodded as well.

"Well… People aren't just evil, they have reasons for it and they must take out all of their anger on me. They aren't bad people. So if I'm there for them, I'm helping them and maybe, they'll open up to me and be my friends," Lettuce looked up at the two and felt a strange feeling as she looked into their eyes. She felt right. "I just got to hang in there!" She smiled as still bizarre feeling overcame her. Ichigo smiled at her as she silently wished that this girl was a Mew.

'Better than this feathery ball of snob,' She thought as the three girls appeared again and called Lettuce over. Lettuce bowed farewell and left the two waitresses and joined Abe-san, Yamaro-san and Jibae-san.

"Lettuce," Abe-san smirked, "You have to go to the pool with me tonight and check out this rumoured ghost ourselves," She said as they walked out of the café, "Don't back out now, will you Lettuce?" She said, although it sounded like a spitting hiss to Lettuce as she subdued to the three dominate girls without hesitation.

"Ichigo," Mint said as they watched the girls walk out, "That must be a Chimera Anima," She smiled as an adrenaline rush hit her at full force, "This is exciting! We have to go to Okumura Daifuzoku Juniour High School when we close," However as soon as Mint finished talking Ichigo curled up and shivered.

"But what if it is a ghost! I'm terrified of ghosts! I don't wanna go to the Okama school!" Ichigo wailed as fright tickled her thigh, crawling under her skin.

"It isn't a ghost and it isn't a transvestite school!" Mint said as her fist collided with Ichigo's side, pain flushing below Ichigo's ribs, "I'll drag you there with my personal slave leash if you don't," Mint said as she walked back to her table while Ichigo, rattled with pain, hesitantly subdued to the dominate lorikeet.

* * *

Lettuce cowered as she snuck into the shadowy school grounds as Abe-san glanced around at the empty grounds. Lettuce swallowed hard, praying that no one saw them as they clambered over the locked school gate. The buildings were just pitch-black shadows against a dark sky, standing in silence. Lettuce looked around, glancing at the place that she visits everyday yet right now, looked so threatening and foreign to her.

"What's that?" Abe-san asked as she glanced at the pool, "Let's go Lettuce!" She snappily called as she ran off to the deserted pool.

Lettuce trembled as she heard the lapping of water against the blue painted pool walls as Abe-san looked around. "I can't see anything strange," She mused as she pulled up a plastic lid that sat over the start of the pump. Lettuce just looked down at water's edge as her heart began to thunder. It tingled and throbbed in her chest as her throat became taut. Before, to Lettuce, it just looked like a watery, blue coffin yet now, she couldn't understand this feeling in her chest.

_'Dive in…'_

'Maybe… I want to because…' Lettuce thought as she tried to explain these feelings. She then heard the flapping of wings, Lettuce looked around for something however Abe-san just walked up to her and rolled her eyes.

"Just an owl or some bird Lettuce, you dolt," She hissed as she glanced around, "There isn't anything strange here, let's g-" Her words were cut of short as a strange figure, a shadowed, lean figure appeared behind the windows in the school. Fear smacked Abe-san, attacking her like a fierce monster, ripping away her humanity and leaving her with one working brain function.

Flight or Fight, which she chose flight however she had a back up plan.

Lettuce.

She, without hesitation, pushed Lettuce backwards before she took off while the figure disappeared. Lettuce's glasses fell off her nose as she fell through the air, down to the water below. Lettuce took a breath before the early spring cold water in case her, dragging her down to the bottom. The water prickled, the cold stabbed at her as she hit the bottom of the pool. Lettuce closed her eyes, falling deeper into darkness as the story of the ghost repeated in her mind.

'You used me to recreate the rumour, you used me for your own reasons… You used a useless freak like me to escape!' Lettuce thought, her mind pounding and screaming.

* * *

"Stop crying Ichigo," Mint sighed as they walked through the unfamiliar schoolyard.

"I can't help it… This place is just the perfect setting for a horror movie," Ichigo whined as they tried to locate the pool. Ichigo froze as they heard the sound of footsteps. Her heart thundered in her chest as she listened out and heard panting from a terrified girl. Mint looked up and saw one of the girls from the café. She was easily recognisable with her straightened black hair and tampered uniform that only made her look cheap, not sexy and supple like she wanted to. Her mascara was running down her face, mixing with her salty and petrified tears as they fell down her cheeks. The girl tripped over, scrambling back up before she bolted by the two girls, mumbling and screaming something incoherent with a deep, screeching voice. Ichigo and Mint exchanged glances before they pulled out their Mew Pendants. "That girl was supposed to be with Lettuce… She might be in danger," Ichigo said as she swallowed her fear down. The two kissed the pendants and triggered the transformation.

"Mew Mew Strawberry Metamorphosis," Ichigo called, absorbing the pink light.

"Mew Mew Mint Metamorphosis," Mint followed Ichigo's lead. They both turned into their mew forms and took off to the pool, following Masha as he flew over them. He locked onto the fluctuating emotions of Lettuce Midorikawa.

"Something must have happened, there was splashing recently," Mew Mint said, observing the large wet patches and the small ripples on the black surface of the water. Mew Ichigo looked around until her eyes locked onto Masha would flew above the pool. He opened his mouth and formed a Mew Pendant and let it drop into the pool where Lettuce lay motionless. Lettuce opened her eyes to see the sinking pendent as her heart throbbed and thundered.

"Mew Mew Lettuce Metamorphosis!" She screamed underwater, her body talking for her.

'I'm not a human anymore… I'm just…' She thought as she felt her body change. Her body fat changed into a type of blubber, blocking out the cold water and her heart started pumping harshly. She cringed as a transparent, thin eyelid formed and closed over her emerald green eyes, allowing her to see clearly in the chlorinated water. Her muscles grew strong, powerful enough to propel her through murky depths at high speeds and her sense of touch was amazing fine-tuned. From her head strange feelers grew out that felt things that she hadn't before. She could feel the pressure of the water, the flow of the water and the chemicals that lay amongst the water molecules. This would've felt amazing to Lettuce… If she understood what had happened. Her body had been deformed in a coffin of water, left to drown by a so-called friend.

'I just wanted to be friends with you!' Lettuce thought as fear consumed her.

"Is there a Mew in there Masha? What are you doing?" Mew Ichigo screamed as a strange whistle sound emitted from the water. The pink Mew Mew took a step closer to the pool while Mew Mint flapped furiously and flew over the pool next to Masha where she observed a green glow.

"Ribbon Lettuce Shaft!" A voice sounded from the water and then a large towering pole of water shot up from the pool. The high pressured water that tingled with green light rushed and blasted Mew Mint along the side. Pain seared around Mint's right side, weights of water crushing her body up and covering her in icy water, prickling her skin. She then felt another pain, the burning shot of green light. She grasped her right side as she fell down, her wings soaked to the core with water as the wind ruffled by them.

"MEW MINT!" Mew Ichigo screamed as she ran over and aimed for Mew Mint's body. She jumped up and caught the light-weighted, blue Mew and set her down as she grimaced in pain, "What is in there?" Mew Ichigo asked as Mew Mint leaned against the wire fence.

"It's…" She groaned as glowing ball of light surged up the tall, towering shaft of water.

"Strawberry Bell!" She called, her tail ribbon and bell summoning it. She aimed for the base of the tower and aligned the hearts, "Ribbon Strawberry Check!" She screamed, launching an attack for the base of the tower. It broke of the tower, the water pouring back into the water and fishing out a figure from the water. It was thrown against the fence and slumped down to its feet and looked at its attackers as they stood in shock.

"She is one of us…" Mew Mint groaned as the Mew Mew looked at them with wide and frightened eyes. She had long, white feelings that wrapped around her knee-length, green boots. She had a green, tight fitting corset like Mew Ichigo however underneath was just a green leotard. It was finished off by the standard garter, armbands and choker, which were green and lined by beautiful, delicate, white lace. Her long, flowing hair was tied up into a long ponytail with a white, sleeve-like tie made of lace. However the green Mew held her hands out and breathed out.

"Lettuce Castanets," She called as her feelers glowed and two green flamenco castanets appeared in her hands. Both of the castanets had little light green ribbons hanging from them with the golden ribbon and pink glass heart design with the curved porpoise mark that Mew Ichigo found above the Mew's large bust, below her collar bones. "Ribbon Lettuce Rush!" Mew Lettuce yelled and green, razor-like shapes of water blasted over the pool and towards Mew Ichigo. She jumped out of the way, sliding on the wet surface of the pool area.

'She is attacking us?' Mew Ichigo thought as she looked at the trembling Mew Lettuce.

"Why are you attacking us?" Mew Ichigo called out, "We are Nakama!" She cried out however it didn't reach the warped mind of Mew Lettuce.

"I just wanted to be normal… Now ever since that dream… I'm nothing but a…" Mew Lettuce bumbled to the curious Mew Ichigo, "Now… Ribbon Lettuce Rush!" She screamed without another thought, "No one likes a freak like me!" She cried as the razor blade shapes were propelled to Mew Ichigo who stood completely still, staring into the large, frightened eyes of Mew Lettuce. She took a breath as the several blasts of glowing green water hit her body. She felt the searing pain of her attacks, ravaging her skin and even ripping up her battle outfit. She felt the icy water and cold night air on her stomach and below her left breast, causing a shiver up her spine. Her fur soaked up the water, trickling down her cheeks and down her top as pain flushed and rattled her body.

"Lettuce… That is you, isn't it? Your Mew Lettuce?" Mew Ichigo gasped passed the surges of pain. Mew Lettuce froze up as she observed her 'attackers'. Mew Ichigo stumbled forward a bit before catching herself and looking Mew Lettuce dead in the eyes. "Lettuce… This isn't you… You are a kind, never hurt a fly…" Mew Ichigo called out to her as Mew Lettuce's heart fluttered as her throat grew raw and sore, her breath swelling as tears began to fall down her wet cheeks. "You are just terrified aren't you? You don't know what has happened!" She called out to Mew Lettuce whose knees began to knock.

"Shut up! Look at me! I'm not Lettuce anymore! I just can't take it anymore!" She blubbered as Mew Mint got to her feet and walked around the pool with Mew Ichigo to the newly found Mew.

"You are more than that, You're Mew Lettuce," Mew Mint cooed as she cautiously approached her, "You have amazing powers and you are so important to everyone," Mew Mint said as Mew Lettuce gazed back with wide eyes of a frightened deer.

"But, I don't want that! I just want to be around people who care about me, who understand me and now… I don't even know what is happening to me! I'll never have any friends now!" She cried, as tears skimmed down her scared face.

"You just don't understand Mew Lettuce," Mew Ichigo said, approaching her, grimacing in pain as she stood beside Mew Lettuce. Mew Lettuce cringed, imagining the power behind the beam of light she produced, scared of what might happen to her when Mew Ichigo's arms wrapped around her waist and her body slammed into Mew Lettuce's. "We are your friends already! You're our Nakama!" Mew Ichigo laughed and hugged Mew Lettuce tightly as she stumbled forward and straight into the pool. Mew Mint flinched as a wall of water smacked into her, wiping the water from her eyes as she smiled at the two Mews in the pool. "Cool! Your body transforms underwater!" Mew Ichigo called out as she felt Mew Lettuce's legs stick together and in a flash, her legs were replaced by a long and powerful, light gray porpoise body and tail. Somehow, the garter had kept in tact and sat before the tail. "You are so cool!" Mew Ichigo said as she clung to their new teammate.

"I'm sorry…" Mew Lettuce said as she wiped away her tears and hopelessly blubbered, "I'm just so scared… I was left by Abe-san and I was so sure that I was a goner, that I was going to die her in this pool like in that ghost story… I was so terrified that I wasn't thinking straight… I'm so sorry for attacking you two, please forgive me…" Mew Lettuce sobbed as Mew Mint jumped into the pool, covering the two with water.

"Shivers it's cold!" Mew Mint exclaimed before smiling at her two teammates, "I forgive you, welcome to the Mew Mew Team Mew Lettuce! We better get you back to Ryou to explain this all. It's nothing to bad, it'll make you feel a little better once you understand," Mew Mint explained as Mew Ichigo facefell.

"You call saving the world from aliens 'Nothing to bad'?" Mew Ichigo groaned, "It's the worst thing!" Mew Ichigo pouted as Mew Lettuce's eyes.

"It's a good reason to become a superhero," Mew Mint elaborated to calm Mew Lettuce down. The last thing they wanted was another fight, "Ryou and Keiichiro at Café Mew Mew will be able to explain it better," Mew Mint said as the three mews were overcome by a strange feeling, a prickling feeling like a warm egg had cracked over their backs and was sliding down their spine slowly like lava from a volcano. Footsteps echoed around as the three looked around, not being able to see in the dark Spring night.

"I hope they'll be able to explain it to me too," A female voice sounded as the figure from earlier appeared.

'We've been caught!' Mew Ichigo swallowed, nervousness stirring in her belly. It wasn't a nice combination with the pain that continued to burn and claw at her body. Mew Lettuce and Mew Ichigo looked up as the figure became slightly recognisable and she was a little familiar however Mew Mint was dead silent as her brilliant blue eyes came into direct contact with one strawberry crème and one mint coloured eyes that sat behind long locks of blonde hair.

"Ichigo, Lettuce and Mint Ane-chan… I hope you can explain…" Hitomi said, her gaze burning into them.

* * *

**ZoeyHoshi:** Yay! One episode in one chapter done! I hope it doesn't feel too rushed but I won't be doing episodes 4, 5 and 6 but the resolution of the newly involved Hitomi Miyarumi. Also, no new chapters until the 19th of September. Exams are quite inconvenient aren't they?


	19. Reason and Deal

**Author's Note**: I have conquered the HSC Preliminary exams! Honestly, my right arm and hand is killing me after writing five pages per hour :( however, that won't stop me from the next chapter. I hope this makes up for lack of chapters! Sorry this chapter took so long!

**Edit Note: **Fixed some errors due to fatigue of tests.

**Note:** I am Australian, and we have alternative ways of spelling certain words from America. Eg. Mum/Mom, -ise/-ize etc.

I know it is a major pain to do this, but please leave comments/reviews etc. because it **really** does cheer me up, knowing that this story is actually read and liked by people. **Thank you and sorry for all this!**

* * *

**Chapter 19: Reason and Deal**

"How do we break this to Shirogane?" Ichigo wondered aloud as she stumbled forward in her chunky school shoes. She was grateful that Lettuce was tall enough to be able to hold her left side. Ichigo bit her lip to bleed out gasps of pain, every time she lurched forward a tide of throbbing pain nibbled around her chest, lower stomach and her upper thigh.

'How do I tell my parents?' She wondered to herself as Lettuce's large emerald eyes looked at her.

"Who is Shirogane-san?" Lettuce asked her, her voice was horse from dry tears that clung to her eyelashes. The constant apologising to Ichigo and Mint probably didn't help her throat anymore.

"He is in charge of The Mew Project," Ichigo huffed as a surge of pain ran up her body. Lettuce wrapped her arm around Ichigo's hip and moved her up, "I hope Masha reached Shirogane and Akasaka-san," she murmured mostly to herself. She wouldn't want to voice it around Lettuce, but her attacks didn't just sting.

"I think Hitomi can explain herself, since she is being quite difficult now," Mint replied to Ichigo's question, shooting a glance at Hitomi.

"I don't want to repeat myself," Hitomi said as the group of girls walked through the park, Ichigo using her mobile phone screen as a light. Ichigo looked back at the strange blonde hair girl, slightly remembering her from that day when this all started.

'She was glued to Mint's side, are they friends? Mint looks pretty pissed right now…' Ichigo thought as the trees covered in spring green leaves parted to show the lit up Café Mew Mew. Lettuce looked at the café confused, reminding Ichigo of her first impression.

"Here?" She echoed, Ichigo laughed at the reaction as Hitomi raised an eyebrow.

"Are they gay?" Hitomi asked as they approached it.

"No, don't say that around Ryou," Mint replied as the backdoor open to reveal the charming, tall gentleman Keiichiro.

"Girls! Ichigo-san!" His hazel eyes widened as he found the injured Ichigo. He raced over to her and smiled warmly at Lettuce, causing the usual blush reaction.

'The Keiichiro effect,' Ichigo thought.

"Thank you for helping her, but let me take her now," He politely said to Lettuce and with one sweeping action, picked up the injured, pink haired girl. Ichigo made a strange noise, half with pain as her body was flung quickly onto her side and half with embarrassment as Keiichiro held her close and carried her into the Café, "Sorry, I thought if I picked you up quickly it would be less painful, you know the old Band-Aid method," He said as he walked in. Ryou was patting Masha softly and quickly, his hand taut with slight hidden anxiety as Keiichiro walked passed him with the injured Ichigo. He jumped up with a start as Keiichiro took Ichigo to the Hospital Wing of the building. He was then followed by Mint, a new girl that shivered with uneasiness and then a curious blonde girl who stared at him with deep, burning Christmas colour eyes.

"We have something to talk about," Mint told Ryou with her cold blue eyes flicking back at Hitomi, "We are all curious about it,".

* * *

"So, you were being watched by this girl?" Ryou said as he tapped his finger on his elbow, looking at Hitomi with light blue, judging eyes.

"Yes, that's what happened tonight," Ichigo said who sat in the hospital bed in a white singlet top. Keiichiro wrapped her stomach up in thick, white hospital bandages as he sighed.

'This isn't good, for more than a week, this has been kept secret, and now, we already have a problem,' He thought looking over at Ryou, knowing that his mind must be a haze of brainstorming and infuriating confusion.

"Okay, please answer this… How?" Ryou asked, his voice heavy with boarder-line exasperation.

"Okay, this may sound strange, but," Hitomi looked around the room, "After everything you've seen, you might not think it's so far-fetched," Hitomi laughed, "Well, I can see things, it's kinda' hard to explain. You know in Anime and Manga how the Martial Art fighters can see Ki, you know, one's life-force and energy?" Ryou nodded, remembering watching Saturday cartoons with them shooting energy attacks at each other, talking about power levels. "It is kinda' like that, if I concentrate, I can see someone's Ki," Hitomi continued, getting amazed and confused looks from everyone in the room. "After the day of the museum, I sensed at school that Mint Ane-chan was different. She had another Ki inside of her that manipulated her human Ki. Mint Ane-chan also acted strange so I kept some tabs on her," Hitomi said, Mint stood up at looked at her amazed.

"You followed me?" Mint asked her, Hitomi nodded.

"There was a great, fluctuations of Ki a few days ago, I went to inspect it however it disappeared but I was certain that I felt Mint Ane-chan's so I waited for fluctuations and I felt Lettuce's Ki alternating all day so I went to inspect and what do you know, along comes Mint Ane-chan with Ichigo from the museum and from then, I knew something was up so I observed and waited for my moment to approach you and here we are," Hitomi finished her explanation.

"So, you aren't a normal person," Ryou mused, "So that means no one else apart from people who can sense Ki will be able to tell that the girls are Mews?" Ryou asked, Hitomi pondered for a second before answering.

"I knew them before the change, anyone else will label their Ki as Ichigo, Mint Ane-chan and Lettuce," Hitomi replied, "Only if you saw them transform would you link it to Mew Ichigo and the other Mews,".

"So then, you know of our mission and purpose," Ryou said starting to pace around the room as Mint looked at Hitomi.

'Is that the burning sensation? That strange feeling is her reading my Ki?' Mint wondered, her anger dying slowly, 'She followed me then… because she was worried maybe?'

"What do you want now? What can I give you in return for keeping this a secret?" Ryou asked as he walked back to Hitomi whose face brightened up immediately.

"Only one thing, you see, I have to care after Mint Ane-chan and I have an ability that you could use also you need me to be quiet," She grinned as she realised how she could bend Ryou to her will, "I want to be a member of this team," She stated.

"WHAT?" Ryou and Mint exclaimed while the other looked on, curious to say the least.

"No way!" Ryou hissed, crossing his arms, "Don't you know how dangerous our mission is? You could die in a second since you cannot protect yourself like the Mews can!" He spun around as his rage grew, Mint nodded yet she wasn't quite sure if she liked the idea or not.

"May I remind you Ryou-san," Ryou twitched as another person used his first name, however at least more politely than Mint did, "I have power over you and not to mention, Mint Ane-chan needs me or she'll suffer," Hitomi cheerfully said as Mint gawked at her.

"I am fine, I can look after myself!" Mint snorted, sitting down on the bed with her arms crossed, "I believe I'm the one with supernatural powers so I am in a position of power!" She stuck her nose up in the air as Hitomi smiled.

"I have noticed that there is a downside or two to this project, the main one being the unwanted animal reactions and do you know what I study? Do you know what is my favourite animal… Birds. It could be fate perhaps. I know everything that could hinder you Mint Ane-chan," Hitomi smiled, Mint glanced at her quickly as the balance of power was shifting.

"I don't know what you are talking about!" She huffed as Hitomi smirked, her hand diving into her jeans pocket and proceed to pull out a silver bell that was pulled from a bird cage. The room became silent as Mint's wide blue eyes focused on the bell as Hitomi dangled it in front of her.

"A bell?" Lettuce murmured as Ryou and Ichigo's face fell.

'Don't focus on it!' The two cats thought, diving their attention away from it.

Hitomi swung it back and forth, the bell coming closer to ringing as Mint watched it her blood boiling, her fingers tingling as her shoulder blades twitched.

'Don't ring… Don't ring… Don't r-' Mint's train of thought was broken as a high pitch chime echoed around the quiet room. Mint let out a chirp as bone and skin formed instantly and Mint's wings ripped through the material of her school dress, the blue feathers fluttering around the bed. Mint continued to chirp and tweet as she tapped the bell with her fingernail creating more high-pitched ringing, her blue eyes watching the bell sway back and forth. Lettuce and Ichigo watched her, amazed at how easily Mint cracked and became uneasy as they sweat-dropped.

"I don't want to know what will make me like that," Ichigo laughed nervous, Lettuce nodding in agreement.

"We can always try cat nip?" Keiichiro chuckled as uneasiness crept up her spine creating goosebumps on her lower back, "I'm joking Ichigo-san," Keiichiro told her as he continued patching Ichigo up, feeling the little bumps on her skin. Hitomi then pulled the bell away, letting silence fill the room has a red blush filled Mint's cheeks, her heart fluttering like her bird wings. She covered her face to hide her embarrassment as Hitomi softly tapped her shoulders.

"Sorry Mint Ane-chan but it had to be done," Hitomi smiled, Mint threw her a glare from behind her fingers from flaming blue eyes. Hitomi motioned to her pocket, quickly settling her glare.

Ryou ruffled his hair and huffed as he thought about the idea of an extra set of hands around the café.

'It wouldn't be bad and it seems that she has a power that we might be able to use…' He thought, he walked out of the room and motioned for Hitomi to follow. She stood up and followed, Ryou closing the door behind her.

"Look, I have no real problems with you joining us," Ryou said, "You do have a lot of potential for us just, this isn't a final fantasy game. We are protecting the world from real danger, if you are hurt, your hurt and if you…" Ryou trailed off and looked to the side.

"I know, I know very well how dangerous this is so that's why I can't just go home and sit and twiddle my thumbs, I have to help!" Hitomi said, holding her chest as if she was declaring or making a pledge. She then widened her eyes and looked at him deeply. Ryou stepped back as he felt a burning, peeling feeling as if molten lava was ripping away at him, coating his heart uncomfortably.

"You… You're like them…" Hitomi said as the sensation left, "Do the-" Ryou clasped his palm over her small mouth. He pushed himself closer to her, hushing her in a millisecond.

"Don't tell them. If you do not tell them, you can join the team. No. Matter. What. Never. Tell. Them." Ryou hushed at her, her eyes sparkled in confusion yet happiness as she nodded back at him. Ryou sighed, letting her go back into the room before cradling his head in his hands.

* * *

"We have another problem…" Ichigo said as she sat on the bed, snapping her phone closed. She regretted lying to her mother that she was at Miwa's house for the weekend but she couldn't go home like this. Lettuce looked at her in confused as Mint and Hitomi stopped chatting, "That girl that pushed you into the pool, she'll think that your dead now," Ichigo pointed out. Lettuce blinked for a second as it registered in her mind.

"I'll just say I got out…" Lettuce murmured back, looking down at the floor.

"She tried to kill you," Mint brought up, "She abandoned you, left you for dead, if you show up she might get suspicious,". Lettuce sighed and laid down next to Ichigo on the bed, looking up at the ceiling.

"I know… I thought she was a okay person…" Lettuce said, "But, I attacked the people who are my nakama, who are my friends instead," She said, looking across at Ichigo and then back to Mint, "I have to go to school though… Maybe if I don't hang out with them…" Lettuce thought.

"You should've done that from the start," Hitomi said sitting down on the closest bed, "Bullies are bullies in the end, even if they have a reason, you should just stay clear of them," Lettuce looked at Hitomi and sighed.

'Abe-san… Yes, that applies to her… Maybe to all of them… but they must have reasons…' Lettuce thought sighing, 'However, for now, I should follow Hitomi-san's advice,' Lettuce thought giving up as she thought back to the information overload she just received and she couldn't help a little smile, 'Now, I at least have people who call me a friend and nakama,' She giggled to herself as she settled in beside Ichigo.

"Again, I'm sorry about attack you two," Lettuce said.

"It's okay, I was stupid enough to take the attack front on," Ichigo laughed, "I really don't know what was going through my mind at that time," She smiled as her fingers scratched Masha's head. Masha's ears flicked up, stirring him from his sleep and his large eyes began to flicker.

"CHIMERA ANIMA!" He called, alerting Ryou who burst through the door.

"Mint, Lettuce!" He called out, Mint standing up with her Mew Pendent, Lettuce sat up while her heart fluttered as Ryou's deep voice called her first name, "Go, Ichigo and Hitomi stay here,"

"What!" Ichigo cried out, sitting up however pain ripped up her left side, forcing her to shrug back.

"That's my point, Hitomi look after her, she is a moron after all," Ryou teased her, creating a rumbling warning from Ichigo.

"Let's go Lettuce!" Mint said, running out of the door.

"Yes!" Lettuce bumbled, running after her. Ichigo watched them and collapsed back on the bed. She immediately regretted it, feeling the agony rip through her body.

"If this what this job includes…" Ichigo groaned as Hitomi sat down in a chair next to her.

"Saving the world is a big thing," Hitomi said, "You have to set aside your normal life, it's a sacrifice for the greater good of humanity," Hitomi glanced out of the window, watching Mew Mint soar into the air, her wings stretching up through the night breeze as she held onto Mew Lettuce under her armpits.

'Her ballet skills and strength would help her now,' Hitomi noted before turning back to Ichigo.

"I want my normal life though, I didn't ask for this you know?" Ichigo rolled over to face her with large baby pink eyes, "You chose this path, I was thrown onto this path,".

"But you don't regret it so far right?" Hitomi smiled, Ichigo opened her mouth to retort yet she couldn't find a good enough response just pausing her lips. "Don't let it get to you, like you said, we are all nakama right?" She smiled warmly at Ichigo, "And you wouldn't be able to turn your back on the world now that you know what humanity faces," Hitomi pointed out as she watched over the injured Ichigo.

* * *

"Ribbon Lettuce Rush!" Mew Lettuce yelled, creating a cannonade of semi-green glowing water waves that rushed to the bus-sided beetle Chimera Anima. Its thin, skeleton-like legs were cut by the razor-sharp waves. Hot, scorching pain rushed up the tattered legs through the cells to the invading Para Para, eating away at them. The short, tentacle-like feelers squirmed around as a low-pitched screech filled the small playground. Mew Mint clenched her teeth, her skin crawling at the sight of the gross, large bug that was bombarded by Mew Lettuce.

"Ribbon Mint Gatling!" Mew Mint shot her barrage of arrows from her harp-shaped bow, hearing the screaming Chimera Anima has she hit her target. As the arrows stuck into the body of the Chimera Anima Mew Lettuce stumbled backwards as the many yellow eyes of the Chimera Anima flicked around, before settling on Mew Lettuce. Her heart continued to thud in her throat as the large beetle Chimera Anima started to crawl over to her one three good legs, the others dragging on the ground useless.

"Mew Mint…" Mew Lettuce wailed as she fell to the ground, her knees knocking together and her skin trembling as the feelers reached out for her.

'Don't let this turn into a Hentai…' Lettuce cried.

"Ribbon Mint LOOK AT ME YOU SON-OF-A-BITCH ECHO!" Mew Mint screamed at the Chimera Anima as she released the attack, aiming the arrow at its head. The arrow stuck into its head, burning at the Para Para and with that Mew Mint definitely got its attention. The beetle looked up at the fluttering Mew and released a bellowing yell, its ripped and torn wings uncurling and flapping quickly. Mew Lettuce covered her face as giant gales of winds blowed up against her small body. Mew Mint hissed as she watched the Chimera Anima fly up towards her, she aimed another Mint Echo at its face as Mew Lettuce stumbled to her feet.

'It's all my fault! I got scared and now Mew Mint is protecting me…' She whimpered to herself has she picked up her Lettuce Castanets and held them firmly in her hands. Her heart continued to thunder as she clapped the castanets and cleared her quivering throat.

"Ribbon Lettuce Rush!" She called again as the razor blades of water flew up and ripped through the Chimera Anima's wings, shredding them apart. The Chimera Anima screeched as the warm light invaded it and it began to drop to the ground. Its yellow eyes flicked up to Mew Mint who was aiming yet another arrow, waves over blue light washing over her as she glared at the Chimera Anima.

"Ribbon Mint Echo!" She called and shot the arrow straight into the Anima's mouth, creating the worst tearing and shrieking noise she has ever heard in her life. The light absorbed the Chimera Anima as the Para Para was flushed out, floating away from the pursuit of Masha.

"Are you okay Mew Lettuce?" Mint called as she flew down to her, amazed at how quickly she was getting used to flying. Mew Lettuce trembled as she looked up at Mew Mint and she bowed deeply.

"I'm sorry, you put yourself in danger and I didn't help a-"

"It was your first Chimera Anima, your first fight with one so don't be too harsh on yourself," Mew Mint said as she dissipated her Mint Arrow and prepared to lift Mew Lettuce up, "Let's head back," She said, "They'll be worried,". Mew Mint lifted Mew Lettuce up and carefully carried her back to the café, Mew Mint shook her head, trying to rid the fatigue that clawed at her body and racked her brain.

'I honestly can't be bothered going home…' Mew Mint thought as they left the battle scene empty. Or at least, that's what she thought.

* * *

"I have identified them," A deep voice sounded. A tall figure appeared from behind a dumpster and he walked through the playground before jumping up on the monkey bars with no effort, floating on top of them almost. "There's two of them, however, there might be more," He talked into a circular object that resembled a walkie-talkie and he waited for a reply. His long, dark aquamarine hair looked black in the moonlight, dancing around the pale, elf-like ears that protruded from his head.

"Want me to set up another test?" A voice echoed back.

"No, let them rest, the others, if there any more will come tomorrow," The tall alien creature replied.

"Gotcha! I'll set up another test tomorrow," A younger male voice replied, "I don't know where Keeki got of too Sasujiro," The voice continued. Sasujiro grimaced and groaned in displeasure.

"She is still observing these pitiful creatures?" Sasujiro moaned. He blended into the night environment with his long black pants and long-sleeve, tight-fitting black shirt. He rubbed his neck as there was silence. "Anyway, I'm coming back to base now Kish," Sasujiro remarked as he pressed a button on his walkie-talkie device and in a few seconds, he evaporated into thin air.

In seconds he appeared in a strange area, a basement of an old, abandoned shed however strange equipment and technology filled the area.

"Welcome home honey," Kish joked as he floated around the area.

"Don't use that all the time now," Sasujiro groaned as he saw the little black, subtle anklets on Kish, little blue lights flickering as it released a strange energy.

"Like hell I'm gonna listen," Kish poked his tongue out at the older Kaerufan as he pretended to swim through the air, "Anti-gravity anklets? You are truly a genius," Kish complimented him. Sasujiro rolled his eyes as he walked back to a metal desk that was cluttered with test tubes filled with coloured liquids. Kish floated in the air next to him, watching him as he observed each tube, pouring some together in a beaker and then placing it on top of a retort stand, turning on the Bunsen burner under it.

"Why don't you find someone else to bother?" Sasujiro moaned as he watched the green liquid above the blue flame.

"I want to get into those enemies… but no, give them a rest," Kish sloppily imitated the deep, serious voice of Sasujiro. A long silence filled the room, much to Sasujiro's pleasure before Kish broke it again.

'God, you damn silence cock-tease,' Sasujiro cursed before he listened to Kish.

"So, they aren't using our technology?" He asked.

"It's nothing I've seen before," He replied, "It reminds me of our ancient technology but nothing in our records… They perhaps used it as a base and built on top? Or it maybe their own, these humans may be smarter than we think," Sasujiro reported, "However… it is able to defeat Chimera Animas with ease but these 'warriors' aren't experienced in the slightest…"

"Easy kill then?"

"If we get them quickly," Sasujiro pointed out, "If they are given enough practice and time, they'll maybe be formidable warriors like us," He smirked.

"So then, we shouldn't be giving them more Chimera Animas to fight?" Kish asked.

"We have to continue our mission, cause as much havoc to allow the second team to find Mew Aqua undetected and eliminate the human species," Sasujiro reminded him, "However, I'm trying to manipulate the genes of the Para Para and along with Selective Breeding, we should get some interesting results," He smirked as clacking interrupted them. Kish spun around to find the small body of Keeki climbing down the vertical, metallic ladder.

"What's with your look Keeki-chan?" Kish asked as Keeki spun around in a cheap, dirty moss coloured hoodie, her thick white locks and draped hood easily hiding her ears and a small ball that was hidden in her hair.

"If I want to collect information on humans effectively, I can't look like you! Showing your mid-riff, in shorts and a shirt decorated with strange bangles and materials!" She spat back yet her voice sounded quiet and reserved.

"Why didn't you inform us of your return or whereabouts?" Sasujiro hissed, not looking up once from his beakers.

"Oh… Well, it might look suspicious if I pull out the communicator around humans…" She replied, her large eyes looking down at the ground as she held onto her over-sized hoodie and baggy black shorts. Sasujiro didn't bother replying, allowing Keeki to run off to the small room out the back.

"Weirdo," Kish mumbled as he continued to spin around in mid-air.

'I think I'll see these 'warriors' for myself soon," Kish smiled to himself as he clenched his fists. The feeling of his hands holding his Sai and his muscles flexing as he swings towards his enemy, watching their scarlet plasma wonderfully paint his blades and pale hands.

'I can't wait to fight…'

* * *

"Well, this was unexpected," Keiichiro muttered as he closed the door to the hospital wing. He casted a look over the four sleeping girls, Hitomi slumped over the bedside table, her feet hanging over the uncomfortable armchair as her blonde hair covered her shoulders and upper back. Ichigo groaned as she rolled over, her wounds still irritating her. Mint slept neatly, like a Disney princess in another bed as Lettuce was half laying on the bottom of Mint's bed and a chair, her chest rising and falling deeply.

"Not to mention strange," Ryou added as he leaned against the wall, his foot resting against it, "Ki-reading? I guess it does exist…"

"She could be lying," Keiichiro added as the door quietly clicked in place.

"No…" Ryou sighed, "She knew straight away about what I am," Keiichiro glanced at his hazy expression before patting him on the shoulder.

"Let's go back to the lab first, we better not wake the girls," Keiichiro sympathetically smiled at him making Ryou pause his lips before following.

"Ryou, why don't you tell them about Alto?" Keiichiro asked as they walked down the flights of stairs.

"Because…" Ryou muttered as Keiichiro waited for a reason.

"Is because now a reason?" Keiichiro laughed, "No matter what you say, things like that still make you a child,"

"I'm not you assh-" Ryou hissed, his blood boiling while his ears slid up his head, fur spurting over his skin. His cat ears flattened as he looked at Keiichiro with contracted, cat-like pupils.

"Okay, okay," Keiichiro rolled his eyes as he raised his arms up in the air in an attempt to calm the furious cat-boy.

'Although, I'll never say that out aloud,' Keiichiro thought, knowing his reaction.

'_Blah Blah Gay Café Nag Nag You're Homo! Blah Nag Whinge!'_ Keiichiro mentally thought before chuckling to himself.

"What's so funny?" Ryou mumbled as Keiichiro shook his head.

"Nothing, Nothing at all," He quickly replied before opening the door to the small computer laboratory. They walked inside and started the computers up again and started on their work before Keiichiro spun around to face Ryou, "Ryou, are you embarrassed?" he asked the calming teenager. Ryou furrowed his brow before relaxing his taut shoulders.

"Perhaps… I took a mother cat's DNA. The DNA of Ichigo's cat's mother... And with Alto I can look over them and protect them without their knowing," He sort of explained as his ears disappeared.

"That's strange though," Keiichiro sighed, "Why not tell them that you are going through the same thing as them?"

"'Cause," Ryou repeated, "I don't want them getting any ideas about me," Ryou sulked.

"So you want to be a respectable yet annoying adult-like figure that looks after them like a father would from the shadows?" Keiichiro asked.

"That's the idea," Ryou threw back.

"That is immature you know?" Keiichiro threw back.

"Almost as immature as you making that joke about four girls 'sleeping' at our place," Ryou said as he blinked at the computer screen.

"Touche," Keiichiro chuckled as he turned back to his computer screen.

* * *

**ZoeyHoshi:** Sorry this took so long! I promise the other chapters won't take so long.

**Ryou:** Excuses, Excuses…

**ZoeyHoshi:** Don't make me smack you with cat nip boy!


	20. Questions With No Clear Answers

**Author's Note**: I thought the Mew Project would only be 30 chapters… but I don't think that is going to happen anymore! So expect more of The Mew Project! I thought I better run head first into some more plot to make up with my lack of chapters. Sorry if chapters come out slower now, I am writing my own original story along side it as well. Check it out at my deviantart account, link is on my profile =^.^=

**Note:** I am Australian, and we have alternative ways of spelling certain words from America. Eg. Mum/Mom, -ise/-ize etc.

***~Notes~***

**Terra Nullius:** Land that belongs to no one, once falsely used to label Australia so it was colonised by the British

**Aquisfera:** Roughly translates out to be 'Aqua Sphere'

I know it is a major pain to do this, but please leave comments/reviews etc. because it **really** does cheer me up, knowing that this story is actually read and liked by people. **Thank you and sorry for all this!**

* * *

**Chapter 20: Questions with no clear answers**

Keeki pulled the hoodie over her head as she strolled through the streets of Tokyo, carefully not hitting anyone as she observed every tower, every face and every sign. A slippery tentacle slid up her neck, sending a shiver down her spine, prickling her skin as two damp, soft tentacles wrapped around her neck.

"Paru," Keeki quietly cooed, "Stay there, we don't want humans seeing you," She commanded as a little electronic-like click sounded from inside her thick, white hair. Keeki glanced around to see if any businessmen were watching her as she slipped into a narrow alleyway littered with overflowing bins, rubbish covering the ground like putrid leaves. Keeki snorted as she jumped over them delicately before she turned on the Anti-G anklets, allowing herself to fly up to a rusted, metal staircase before she quickly climbed up them, skipping passed the windows of the apartments to prevent any housewives or any sick people that may look outside seeing a strange, young girl run by when all children should be at school. She then jumped up, with help of the Anti-G anklets and touched down on the roof of the fifteen-story apartment building, looking out over the endless sea of tall, gray buildings that ripped away at the faint green of small parks and shrines. Keeki pulled her hood down, allowing the air to run through her hair and over her ears. A small Para Para slid out from her hair, swirling around Keeki as it made strange clicks, however this Para Para didn't have the two purple antennas. Keeki ran across the flat roof of the building, jumping over solar panels and pipes as she ran to a small shed with one side ripped away from it, Keeki crouched down and crawled into it as much of her technology filled the area along with a purple and blue notebook that was decorated with bells, mirrors and other odds Keeki had found. She opened it and flicked through the next clean recycled page.

'_I have finally compiled a book on the human processes and social structure. As I thought, they aren't that different to us. They have the same bodily functions and social structure to some point, I wonder if we could have descended from the same being yet I've dismissed that. Money and power rule everyone's life to a greater degree than in our society. Money and Power decides the quality of life however, we aren't too far behind humans and I have a feeling that we were once just like that back when we populated this planet._' Keeki wrote, '_I have been studying far into the past of these humans and discovered the history of this planet and discovered something else. Back around two thousand years ago this planet, labeled in the Galactic Alliance files as Aquisfera however commonly called Aquis Earth to these humans that miss Earth, their original planet, was discovered and labeled as Terra Nullius and humans claimed it as their own and colonised it. I possess a large, heavy and old book that details, with Kaerufan accounts of our past and I created two time-lines in my other report I am reading over and placed them back to back and they both fit perfectly. We have been living at that frostbitten planet for over two thousand years, the time when humans colonised this planet and claimed it. This means that the planet did appear empty and the book goes back to many, many years, over a hundred thousand even. I have read it over and over again and pin-pointed the reason for our departure. Aquisfera was very volcanic back when we were in our prime and recounts call 'Large, tall mountains exploding with fire', I have pin-pointed this down as volcanic eruptions that were common back in other periods of time. These eruption cause dramatic shifts in the atmosphere, climate and many other abiotic factors that create great extinctions, which is what may have been happening to our race. We traveled into space to another planet to wait for the cataclysm to end and for Aquisfera to return to its natural state. That is how we ended up on our frostbitten planet, we couldn't move our weakened race so we lived underground, waiting for many, many years. However, my books has a blank space in it, as if history then was sucked into a void and then it details how a rookie named Furaro found our old planet inhabited by humans. Yet again, another void of blank paper and then it is up to where I have been writing it, Furaro a respected warrior leading the fight against humans who he says "Robbed us of our home, slaughtered our people and dreams". I am going to find the missing pages of history to find out what has happened and further my investigation on humans. Another note, I have discovered something strange. I found that there are many races around, many countless planets holding life beyond our imaginations and they are all working together, most of the time that is, and immigrate to different planets but this planet, humans are everywhere and rarely do I see some other 'alien'. If I do, they often try to hide their oddity from humans or they are picked on, beaten up or living in poverty. This planet has a harsh outlook to immigration that the other planets do not hold. Perhaps it is the world government's fault? This could be the reason why we have resorted to an all-out fight instead of peaceful talks and discussions. Anyway, I think I saw someone out there today that wasn't a person, I think I saw a black, shaggy tail behind him but it could just be a 'furry'. I have heard this term but I do not know what it truly means, I think it just means part animal.'_

"Why am I rambling in this document?" Keeki said out aloud as Paru moved his tentacles in a cute attempt to represent shrugging.

'_I am going to try to learn more about this planet's view on immigration and the world government itself,_' She wrote, concluding the journal entry before storing it in a black stone box, sealing it and hiding it from anyone who may discover her hideout. She spun around and slunk out of her broken shack her thin shoes quietly walking across the deserted roof. She jumped onto of a pipe and sat down, looking out over the endless tide of gray ocean reaching for the sky.

"Paru," Keeki murmured, her Para Para companion floating around her happily, "I don't get it, something isn't right. Those gaps in history, Furaro is leading us now to find Deep Blue but I think he has some other importance that is hidden. Maybe its just this city, the more I'm here, the less I want to fight. I haven't sent any Para Para's out. I tried to do that but I found you instead Paru and the more I explore, the more I want to experience everything these humans have," Keeki mused to her jellyfish friend. "Maybe this place just has a charm to it, or maybe its just me,".

"Keeki, where are you?" The commanding voice of Sasujiro sounded over the circular device. Keeki sighed deeply and picked it up.

"I am at the downtown district, investigating the World Government," She half-lied.

"Very well, this afternoon we are running our last test. I want you to find out if these warriors are using our technology or not so come along, return to base at seventeen hundred hours," Sasujiro's voice was full of static.

"Okay. This time force Kish to come, he says he will but he just releases Para Parai and goes back to training," She replied and laid down on the pipe, hanging her arm of the side, letting Paru swirl around her arm, its tentacles sliding around like a screw, spreading a cold, creeping feeling along her arm. She picked up the semi-slimy body of Paru and snuggled her against her cheek, watching its golden, blue and purple bodily liquids glow through its transparent skin. Its small black eyes fixed on Keeki's golden eyes as she smiled wistfully at Paru as she enjoyed the sunlight.

* * *

'She isn't here again?' The green braided girl thought as she walked through the hallway, other classmates running by to their classrooms. Lettuce looked around wildly for Abe-san, Jibae-san and Yamaro-san however luckily for Lettuce they were absent for the fourth day in a row. Lettuce walked to her desk and sat down, twiddling her thumbs as she let out a tense sigh. 'I prepared a speech and excuse to give Abe-san but I haven't even seen her. I guess that is good enough but I have to deal with it soon,' She mused as the Akashi-sensei walked in with a bashful male student following behind. Many eyes widened as they looked at the boy head to toe. Lettuce looked at him, her heart thudding in sympathy as she noticed how his deep, dull rusty eyes glanced around with an intimidated spark in them. His slightly, extremely dark titian black hair was spiky and messy, as if he couldn't brush and tame it no matter what he did. His face still held childish fat, making him look a lot younger than a normal second year junior high student. His long sleeve white shirt was creased and crumpled and his tie was lazily tied up and his shirt half hung out and some parts were tucked in. He scratched his hair, looking down at the ground and shifted his feet side to side. His long black pants were slight dirty on his knees but then something caught Lettuce's eyes. A long, thick furry tail flicked around shyly as the wide-eyed gap of everyone focused on the unkempt boy. The tail was similar to a Husky's tail, deep black on top and white on the bottom and curled over.

'He is a dog-boy? I haven't seen one up close before!' Lettuce thought as Akashi-sensei got the class's attention.

"Attention, we have a new student today, please introduce yourself," She smiled warmly at the boy.

"Ah, I'm Otash- Oh I mean Otachi Saishun. I just moved here with my parents, as you can tell, I'm part dog-boy," He said, "My mother was a dog-girl and my father is a full human," He explained, "I hope we'll get along well," He stumbled bowing to the class.

"Thank you Otachi-kun, please take a seat next to Midorikawa-san over there, and Midorikawa-san please share your text book with him," Akashi-sensei directed him to the jade eyed girl who flustered around, clearing a side of her desk as Otachi moved his empty desk next to Lettuce's. Otachi gave her a small nod of hello as he sat down next to her.

'What do I say to him? Well I can't talk right now we are in class…' She sat still, fiddling with her pen as class started. She settled for concentrating on class as Otachi half-listened but spend most of class time writing in a separate notepad and drawing poorly drawn pictures along side it. Lettuce glanced at his grubby appearance and gazed off at the blackboard that was filling up with algebraic formulas. 'Why does he look like this? Is he maybe poor? No, that is just a stereotype of immigrants. He could just be a slob… Otachi… Otachi… I wonder what kind of name that is, it isn't an original Japanese name.' Lettuce pondered as she looked at its schoolbooks. She found his name on it and the kanji that made up his name. 'O for Bad… Ta for Bothersome… Chi for Fool? What kind of name is that?' Lettuce thought, she hesitated but tapped him gently on his arm, getting his attention.

"Sorry, I'm just curious, what does Otachi mean?" She asked him.

"Oh, ah, It means that I'm Bad to bothersome fools," He explained, "And since my father was Japanese, he gave me a book of kanji and I assigned kanji to it," He smiled proudly at himself.

'But to Japanese your name means that you're a bad bothersome fool…' Lettuce thought to herself, sweat-dropping at his vaguely endearing naivete. Lettuce just continued listening to the lesson until she felt a tap on the side of her hand, she felt the rough texture of a crumpled piece of paper. Lettuce looked down, Otachi's pen poking the paper towards her. Lettuce smoothed it out and found a little note inside of it.

'_Midorikawa-san, sorry, I'm just curious… Why is everyone staring at me?_' Lettuce looked up to find eyes flashing at Otachi every now and then.

'I wonder if he can sense it due to is dog nature? Is it sort of like us with our animal?' Lettuce thought as she wrote a reply.

'_It's peculiar to see other races apart from humans on this planet. Government is strict on its immigration laws,_' Lettuce wrote back to him. See watched him from the corner of her eye as he read it slowly and wrote back a reply.

'_Ok._' He simply wrote and he looked back up at the board.

'That's it? Just Ok?' Lettuce sweat dropped as she looked up at the board however, a cloud of curiousity stirred up as she watched the strange boy. Lettuce looked down and looked around her desk and quietly as she could, ripped a piece of paper from her notebook and started to write a question on it. She folded it neatly and then her eyes flicked to the black-haired boy.

'What do I do? I've never done this sort of thing before,' She wondered, her heart pounding with uncertainty. She played around with the paper, creating creases in the once neatly folded note until she bit her lip and dramatically and quickly threw it on is side of the desk. Otachi watched it flutter onto his desk and picked it up and turned to Lettuce.

"You dropped this," He whispered. Lettuce prevented the urge to facefall as she looked at the clueless boy in front of her.

"You're supposed to read it," She whispered back, her cheeks blushing with irritation.

"Ok," He said simply again as he opened it. Lettuce slumped on the desk, her brain was buzzing with modest frustration and exhaustion.

'What have I gotten into?' She thought to herself when Otachi passed a reply.

'_My father was on a business trip when he met my mother and they fell in love and she has been trying to come over here for some time. The government allowed it due to the fact my father was a citizen and that I was born. So it was easy for us apparently_,' He wrote. Lettuce sighed, imagining being separated from half of your family for years, hoping to be reunited with them.

'Why does the government have such strict laws? What are they scared off? Other races not integrating with our society? Racism? No, they are being racist right now with these laws…' Lettuce mused.

'_How much… you know, canine is in you? What can you do?_' Lettuce wrote, her brain buzzing around curiously. She passed it to him and he wrote a reply.

'I wonder if it is anything like us? Smell maybe, sight, hearing… Something else apart from the tail must be different,' Lettuce thought as she eagerly opened the note.

'_Not that much, I'm only one quarter Husky Canine. I have the tail and I have better smell than my father and I don't like vegetables and also I don't mind the cold that much. That's all really_,' He wrote back. Lettuce compared it to her and sighed.

'Not to the same extent as us… I can't stop eating fish! Mother is getting concerned about it. At least Saishun-kun was like this from birth, he got it from his mother but the Mews and I… We got turned into this. How are we supposed to tell our friends and family? I almost feel alone apart from the girls, Akasaka-san and Shirogane-san and now maybe even Saishun-kun… My parents, Uri, how would they react if I told them what had happened?' Lettuce's throat tingled as her stomach rolled in apprehension. 'What if they gave me up? Told me to leave… Where would I go?' She looked forward, her mind distracted by the gray mist in her head until she left a pen softly poke at her arm. She looked down and then up as Otachi's face.

"Is there something wrong?" He whispered as his tail dropped down in worry. Lettuce looked at him as the mist cleared, his rusty eyes full of concern.

"Nothing Saishun-kun," She said as she smiled, slightly sadly but it made the oblivious Otachi lighten up, his tail wagging happily.

"Just call me Otachi-kun" He smiled back as he looked back at the board. Lettuce smiled as she flipped a page over, preparing to write a few notes as a thought came into her mind.

'Did I just make a friend?' She wondered to herself.

* * *

"Eh? You're working?" Miwa exclaimed, the leaves above her creating a dappling sunlight effect over her as she sat against the trunk.

"We'll have to come by after school sometime," Moe added clapping her hands together. Ichigo smiled at her friends as she lazed on the lawn, enjoying the shade of the tree above them and the feel of the grass under her. She sighed contently as her relaxed every muscle and nerve.

'I haven't had a Chimera Anima for a day, this is a lot better…' She thought to herself when Moe gently slapped her thigh.

"Do we get a discount?" She grinned.

"No way," Ichigo bluntly said, "I need all the money I can get!"

"Don't turn into a money-grubbing foreigner now," Moe sulked, crossing her arms playfully, "Also, you look like a cat right now," She added teasingly however that one line made Ichigo tense up all over again as if she was staring down a large, mutated cockroach Chimera Anima. Her spine quivered as she quickly jumped up, the cold draft of air up her thighs and skirt added to her flustered heartbeat.

"No I don't! I was just relaxing!" She said as she tugged on her skirt. She closed her eyes as an embarrassed blush broke out of her face as she blurted out reasons for relaxed posture.

'I just can't escape these cat features, even when I'm just relaxing,' She angrily thought, crossing her arms as Moe and Miwa giggled, called her cute and calmed her down, 'Damnit, when I finish work Shirogane is gonna get a talking to, and by talking to I mean my foot up his a-'

"Momomiya-san," Masaya's calm voice broke her out of her violent thoughts. She spun around to find the raven-haired boy approaching her. Ichigo flustered as she caught the glances that fan girls were giving her, anger, disbelief but most of all jealously.

'Ah Aoyama-kun! I can't believe his walking up to me during school!' Ichigo thought as a happy smile broke out across her face as she twiddled her fingers around.

"Hello Aoyama-kun," She returned his greeting as he stopped in front of the girls.

"Hello Aoyama-kun," Moe and Miwa waved at him politely in greeting. Moe smiled as she watched Ichigo shyly shift side to side.

'She is so adorable! They are so adorable!' She thought as Masaya waved back to them.

"Momomiya-san, how are you?" He asked Ichigo.

"I'm fine Aoyama-kun," Ichigo replied, "I just got a job at Café Mew Mew," She added.

"Café Mew Mew? You mean that pink building in the park?" Masaya asked as he remembered seeing it over the trees in the park. He could easily picture Ichigo working at the place in a cute outfit.

"Yes, did you hear about it? The name I mean?" Ichigo smiled at him while Masaya's eyed clouded for a second.

'Wait, wait… How did I know the name? I've only seen that building… How did I know it was a Café?' Alarm grew in Masaya's gut, he swallowed it to return back to Ichigo's endearing smile. He looked into her pink eyes and took a gentle breath and returned to his façade.

"Yes, my mother told me about it," He lied casually but something about her innocent eyes made him deeply regret it. "Well, I was wondering if I could walk home with you but you're probably working today aren't you?" Masaya looked down as he felt a stone sink in his gut.

"Yes, I'm sorry," Ichigo said, her gaze falling as she sighed sadly. Masaya looked at her and felt his heart flutter and tug harshly as his brain played around with it, emotion bleeding from each tug as he felt her dejected aura.

"Well, could I walk you to work?" He asked as he scratched the back of his head nervously. Ichigo's pink eyes brightened up and a wide, joyful smile spread across her face as her heart fluttered in her chest, her blood bubbling with delight.

"Really? Sure," She nodded her head. Masaya relaxed, nervousness washing away the strings that played with his heart or something else controlling them and he smiled at her.

"Great, I'll meet you out the front gate after school," He said as a chuckle sounded from the worn out soccer field behind Masaya.

"Yo! Stop flirting with your fan girls!" A boy called out, laughing, kicking a soccer ball powerfully in Masaya's direction. Masaya's heart thudded as his words echoed around his brain, his fingers curling up as if they had tasted something horrible. He quickly spun around as he felt the ball pelt through the air, pushing air around it. Without any thought, he bent his leg back and like a rubber band, kicked away the soccer ball with amazing unrelenting strength, pelting it back to Masaya's smartass classmate. The smartass turned around to see nothing but a white and black flaming meteorite, which smacked into his face, creating blossoms of pain across his cheek, crackling along his nose and up to his forehead. Masaya hid back a smile as the kid fell over, holding his face as he pushed himself up into a sitting position. The boys cracked up into laughter as the smartass held back tears, sternly glaring at his classmates.

"Sorry," Masaya half-hearty yelled to the kid who just scowled at him. Ichigo gazed on in amazement with wide-eyes.

'Aoyama-kun, why can't you be a Mew Mew like us?' She thought dreamily. Masaya turned around to see Ichigo's flabbergasted gaze and he quickly facepalmed.

'Why did I do that in public? I got mad… when he called Ichigo a fan girl? Well, she is a fan of mine but… why did that strike a cord with me? I just lashed out like that in front of her, doesn't she think I'm a prick for doing that? We'll that smartass deserve it but Ichigo is so kind she may think differently,' Masaya flustered as he looked at the girl who was just thinking about how much that smart aleck deserved it and how cool Masaya was.

"I think I overdid that…" He mumbled to Ichigo, ruffling his hair.

"That was amazing! You're great at everything!" Ichigo awed, making Masaya jump with self-consciousness and slight chagrin. The fan girls were awing as well, calls of 'Aoyama-kun is so cool!' sounded around the area as some the boys fell over in laughter, pointing at the smart aleck who sat there in humiliation.

"DOESN'T ANYONE CARE ABOUT MY WELL-BEING?" He yelled out.

"You don't have perfect raven hair, model-like appearance nor amazing strength so no one gives a shit," An older boy called out, slapping the boy on the back.

* * *

"Ah, I'm so tired!" Ichigo yelled as she slumped over a table. The orange sunset poured through the heart-shaped windows and onto the wooden floor of Café Mew Mew. The warm smell of fresh-cooked sweets and brewed coffee filled the first floor, making Ichigo's stomach growl.

"You put to much effort in Ichigo," Mint casually said as she sipped some of her black tea in a discreetly. Ichigo's burning pink eyes shot up to the blue bun girl who hadn't moved since she arrived at the café.

'Her butt must be sore from being a slacker,' Ichigo thought as her blood boiled however she tried to prevent any uncontrollable cat traits flush to the surface.

"Hitomi! Say something to Mint!" Ichigo wailed out to the kitchen where Hitomi poked her head out of the doors that were a western film cliché, except the love hearts carved into it was a new addition.

"Something to Mint," Hitomi copied Ichigo in a flat voice, just stirring a deep reaction of annoyance from Ichigo.

"You know what I mean!" Ichigo retorted as Hitomi walked out of the Café in her uniform, similar to theirs however with a colour scheme that matched her eye colours.

"Mint Ane-chan does work, she collects information by listening into everyone's conversations. She is the spy of us, I take on the work load for her," Hitomi truthfully explained.

"Lettuce and I both do that!" Ichigo retorted, "Don't we Lettuce?" Ichigo called back to the quiet girl in a green waitress uniform who mopped the floor.

"Yes," Lettuce replied to Ichigo but honestly wanted to stay out of the argument.

"Mint Ane-chan, can't you help sometimes?" Hitomi sighed and politely asked.

"I do help in my own ways!" Mint retorted and continued to drink her tea.

"Sorry Mint Ane-chan, however you leave me with no choice," Hitomi replied as she pulled out the silver, semi-rusted bell. Ichigo dived her attention away to Lettuce asking about school and Mint spat her tea out as Hitomi started to swing the bell back and forth.

"No! NO! FINE! I'll work!" Mint screeched, her voice a bit distorted by a bird screech. She put her tea down and followed Hitomi back into the kitchen to help clean up when Masha's voice echoed from inside.

"CHIMERA ANIMA!"

"You're kidding!" Ichigo yowled as her cats ears swelled out, blood pounding inside of them. She stood up, pulling the Mew Pendant from a small, subtle pocket, the two other mews following her actions.

"Girls! It's at Okumura Daifuzoku Junior High!" Ryou ran down the stairs.

"The Okama School?" Ichigo exclaimed and was met with a confused gaze of Lettuce, "Long Story," Ichigo replied to her.

"We'll be waiting for your return!" Hitomi said, "Knock them dead!".

* * *

"So, there are three," Sasujiro noted as he hid in the shadows of a classroom. He looked out over a pavement square were a car-sized, feral cat Chimera Anima lunged for the hovering Mew Mint. Mew Mint flapped her wings furiously, climbing up higher to avoid the four eyed cat, its talons unsheathed as it crouched down.

"Hmm," Keeki replied as she flicked through the spare text books that littered the shelves. Paru hid in her hood as it watched the mindless Chimera Anima battered ruthlessly with razor waves. It quivered in fear as it dug deeper into her hood making fearful clicks.

"You still keep that little runt?" Sasujiro asked her as she spun around to face him.

"Yes, he is my pet," She jumped to protect her little companion.

"He doesn't have a single antenna so he can't find hosts to latch onto, he is worthless,"

"Worthless? He isn't a mindless minion! Paru is smarter due to not having any antennas!" She spat back as Kish teleported into the room.

"Wow, this room is thick with tension," He laughed as he touched down onto the ground.

"And now we have the village idiot here, we are complete," Keeki rolled her eyes and continued to read and scan every bit of writing and information in the classroom.

"What's wrong with Keeki-chan?" Kish asked Sasujiro, pointing at her with a dumbfound expression.

"Don't mind her, would you have a look at our enemy now!" Sasujiro hissed as a beam of pink light filled the area. The Chimera Anima just dodged it however its right side burned and created a heavy limp in its walk.

"Okay," Kish said as he walked to the window, flexing his muscles.

'I hope they are strong looking guys, big fat and ugly looking guys that I can pummel into a bloody pulp-' His thoughts were cut short as he found two adolescent girls. One green girl had white antennas and a curvy physique and a decently sized chest for her age. She jumped out of the way of the talons of the shaky Chimera Anima before she created a pillar of water, jumping in it to propel herself across the battlefield. The other one, a blue themed girl was flying the sky, dropping down as she aimed a harp-shaped bow and arrow. She looked smaller than the other, thinner and petite yet her limbs held strength in them strangely enough. Then Kish could barely see a figure through a bubble of pink light.

'What's that one look like?' He wondered as he watched the battle intently.

"Mew Ichigo!" Mew Lettuce jumped out of the Lettuce Shaft and ran over to her, water running over her water-proof outfit, "I located the site of fusion, it's under the belly," Mew Lettuce said as the Chimera Anima jumped for the green Mew. Mew Ichigo reached out for her and pulled her inside the Strawberry Bubble, leaving the Chimera Anima to crash into it, creating a small crack on it.

"It won't last any longer!" Mew Ichigo wailed. Mew Lettuce looked up at the soaring and safe Mew Mint who was looking over the Anima for its weak spot.

"Mew Mint, It's belly!" Mew Lettuce called as the blue Mew's face dropped.

"How are we supposed to get it? We could just batter it until it dies!" Mew Mint called back.

"I don't want you to destroy my school though," Mew Lettuce mumbled.

"Mew Mint, come down closer! Make it stand on its back legs!" Mew Ichigo called.

'Cats stand up on their back legs when they try to reach butterflies, Mew Mint should be a good enough replacement!' Mew Ichigo thought to herself as Mew Mint groaned and dropped down closer. Sure enough the Chimera Anima fell for it, preparing to spring up as Mew Lettuce prepared her Lettuce Castanets. Mew Mint chirped in alarm as the four eyes focused on her and the Chimera Anima sprung up to her, raising its claws to smack her out of the sky, sending her to the ground however the two Mews were ready.

"Ribbon Lettuce Shaft!" Lettuce called, aiming a pillar of greenish water at a strange scar around the Animas belly. The water cracked through the Strawberry Bubble, shattering it and sending shards at the fusion mark however Mew Ichigo jumped into it and put her Strawberry Bell in front of her so it smacked right at the scar.

"Ribbon Strawberry Check!" She launched an attack at point blank, pouring tones of burning light into the Anima, forcing the Para Para out which was engulfed by Masha. The light healed the poor, scared cat however the Lettuce Shaft continued to travel forward to the other school building since the large Anima disapeared. Mew Ichigo screamed as she was forced against the wall however the residue of the Strawberry Check softened the blow. Mew Lettuce wailed and stopped the Lettuce shaft, leaving Mew Ichigo to side down the soaking wet concrete wall, her whole body covered in a layer of water. She stood up and shook herself as Mew Lettuce bowed to her apologetically.

"Let's go back," Mew Mint said as her heart started to relax from her scare.

Perhaps it was the fact that she was covered in water, the outfit sticking to her body in a seductive manner, the dull light shimmering over her beautiful wet skin. Or it was how her eyes sparkled and her lips made a perfect smile. Her bouncy walk, her cute tail waving around with her skipping gait, the bell ringing with every hypothesizing swing of her hips. How her ears flicked delicately or maybe it was how she moved battle, her eyes burning with aggression as she relentlessly attacked the Chimera Anima. Kish felt his heart flutter with excitement, with a deep-rooted lust as he watched her go. His breathing became short as he imagined facing her in battle, attacking her and watching her fight back, her body moving hypnotically with every swing but it was hopeless, eagerness to fight tensed his muscles up as a boiling liquid circulated around his crotch, stimulating him as he imaged pinning her down under his crushing weight, the feeling of her feebly squirming under him, her ears flattened down as fear filled her adorable strawberry gaze while Kish leaned in closer, pressing his maddening erection against her thighs, pushing himself closer and closer to her as dominated her.

'I will devour all of you Mew Ichigo,' He smirked to himself as he imagined the satisfaction of humiliating her, ruining her purity and ripping through her before he would summon his Sai and press them against her neck. The last thing she would feel would be him claiming her as his own property. Kish broke out in a feverish laughter, snapping Keeki out of her trance. She shot a worried glance at him and looked at Sasujiro, who just smirked at him.

"Got a bit of a thing for her?" He snickered.

"You could call it that," Kish smiled, "This is really exciting," Kish chuckled. Keeki looked back at her book, swallowing hard as Paru shivered in her hoodie.

* * *

**ZoeyHoshi**: I really dislike the whole Kish and Ichigo pairing, however it is a major thing in Tokyo Mew Mew however this is how I see it. Kish has a sick fascination with Ichigo, it is as simple as that.

**Kish**: Don't worry your little head over it

**Ryou**: You think too logically!

**ZoeyHoshi**: That's what makes me great! I think… Also, Woof Woof Power, a fanfic that I believe runs by Nostalgia Critic's rule of 'It's so bad its good', inspired the character Otachi Saishun, using the name of the name OC and his appearance is only slightly based off Otachi to give kudos to the author.

**Ryou**: Because you 'enjoy' it so much?

**ZoeyHoshi**: And to satirise the typical mindless fan boys and fan fic writers that do not plan nor edit their chapters over and over again and change canon characters in a flash.


	21. Changes of the Heart

**Author's Note**: Another chapter! Hooray! I couldn't stop writing really, I just kept writing and writing! I really want to introduce Pudding soon so I guess that was my drive. However, I thought that we better focus on some interesting characters =^.^=

**Note:** I am Australian, and we have alternative ways of spelling certain words from America. Eg. Mum/Mom, -ise/-ize etc.

I know it is a major pain to do this, but please leave comments/reviews etc. because it **really** does cheer me up, knowing that this story is actually read and liked by people. **Thank you and sorry for all this!**

* * *

**Chapter 21: Changes of the Heart**

Moonlight filtered through the wooden blinds, pouring onto the army camouflage sheets that were clumped around Masaya's feet as he continued to toss and turn.

'What's happening?' He thought hopelessly, groaning as he sat up and flicked the bedside lamp on. He shaded his eyes, letting them get used to the light while his mongrel dog Rau whimpered in his sleep, rolling over to avoid it and fell back into a deep sleep. Masaya cradled his head in his hands as today's-, he stopped and looked at the clock, now yesterday's events repeated like an endless loop. 'I knew that café name suddenly, as if I've been there before… as if I heard the name somewhere…' He thumped the mattress with his hand before walking off downstairs, slinking by his 'parents' room to prevent them from waking up. When he couldn't sleep, one thing did help exhaust him. Training. He walked outside where the few stars that shined through the heavy layer of light pollution and the thin slip of moon providing poor light on the green lawn. He grabbed his bamboo sword and got to his usual spot. He took a deep breath as he proceeded to practise however as he swung the stick through the silent air, he couldn't help but think back to the wide, shimmering gaze of Ichigo. He could just picture her nearby, right on his wooden porch watching his every move, every swing he made as she awed, holding her hands to her chest as her large, sugary-pink eyes watched him, glittering with that heart-tugging emotion.

"What is that…? That shimmer that I always see in her eyes?" He mused briefly, casting a glance over at the porch where he imagined her sitting, her pink hair in her two cute pigtails, her small hands resting on her tights. "Argh! What am I doing!" He groaned as his heart started to boil his blood, circulating the warmth around his body quickly. He turned back to training, trying his best to ignore the feeling of his blood that rush down his body. He battered the invisible enemy that faced him as his brow lowered in concentration, his hazel eyes burning as he continued his assault on the imaginary figure he pictured in front of him. The figure took the shape of a tall, masculine figure, wielding an invisible sword. The figure smirked and attacked back at Masaya violently, Masaya fought back with the same aggression, bubbly warmth draining from his body and replaced with blistering hatred for the humanoid figure he saw. The invisible sword came closer to him, Masaya battering it out of the way and diving toward the figure, glaring down at its loathing expression. Masaya spun his body around, the action giving his long sword more momentum, Masaya's side smacked the male figure, making him stumble back.

"_Haha, you really have learnt haven't you D-"_ A hissing voice echoed in his memory, out of a strange fog that enveloped his whole being. All Masaya could see was the abomination in front of him and just looking at him made his blood burn, caterwauling to kill him, to make him suffer as his pupil contracted to a thin sliver glittering with hatred that ruled over his body.

'I'll kill him! He'll feel every limb torn from his corpse, his blood flooding the ground,' the thought repeated over and over in the black haze that engulfed him. Masaya swung his sword up between his enemy's legs and he felt the tip slice up through the skin, tearing it aside as blood spurted out, sliding along the silver blade of his sword as it opened his stomach up, up the exposed chest that was already ripped with old battle scars until the sword nicked the male's chin. The figure collapsed to the ground, panting harshly as his wound opened out, red and bloody organs falling out and onto the bare ground in a messy, disgusting pile. The metallic smell of blood hit Masaya, making his blood burn more, boiling every muscle in his body. The figure shot one last smirk, black eyes burned with complete animosity towards Masaya. Masaya just bared his teeth as he plunged the sword down onto the figure's face to destroy that smirk.

'I'll kill that bastard!' He thought.

However, a bamboo stick just hit the grassy lawn that was bathed in moonlight. Masaya's eyes opened wide, hatred washed away in a tsunami of confusion, sweeping away the haze that had control his every movement and thought. Masaya looked at his bamboo sword and to the grassy lawn beneath it, he dropped it, stumbling back as he was overcome with bewilderment and shock.

"What was that? What did I do?" He mumbled, his knees trembling until they gave out under his weight, his body slamming to the ground. He looked up at the night sky as his mind buzzed and then he slumped onto the lawn as his blank eyes gazed blindly forward.

'_Aoyama-kun, are you okay?'_ He could hear her voice, imagine her standing over him and looking at him with those adorable wide eyes that shone with kindness.

'She possesses such a kind-heart, she likes me even though I am nothing but a monster…' Masaya thought. Then there was a jump in his memory. It was hazy, like watching an old movie with fuzzy edges but he could see Ichigo standing in front of him with a large blush painted on her perfect cheeks.

'_Aoyama-kun, do you like me?'_ Her voice echoed around his mind as his memory blanked out, her voice repeated over and over in his mind as he rolled onto his back.

'She did ask me that didn't she? When was that? The day that I passed out from over-working myself I think?' Masaya thought as he sat up. 'Do I like her? Yes, she is such a kind, gentle person, whenever I'm around her I feel so real, I feel alive… Wait…' His remembered her posture, the way she shifted side to side, nervousness pouring off her as her pink eyes glanced up at him, gleaming with… Love... 'Oh… OH! She meant do I love her! Like her as in love her!' He smacked himself for not picking it up sooner. Her constant blush, the way she followed him like she was a helpless duckling and why she always had that shimmer in her eyes that warmed him.

'She loves me…' Masaya realised, sitting up and he shook his head, '…She loves the façade though, not the monster that I am… Or?' he thought, he just slapped himself and picked himself back up.

* * *

'Something is happening, something has happened lately,' Masaya thought as he walked to the gymnasium, his feet carried him their automatically while hazy memories continued to float to the surface, deeply perplexing Masaya. A couple of girls watched him, giggling while they thought up daydreams about the raven-hair idol-like boy talking to them.

"Hey, hey, I heard that Aoyama-kun has taken a liking to Momomiya-san," a girl hushed however Masaya easily picked it up. Either he had good hearing or the girls thought that talking normally was quiet enough.

"What? That can't be right!" One girl wailed.

"There goes my dream…" Another commented.

"How come her? She doesn't have any outstanding features at all!" The first shrieked quietly. Masaya's lip wrinkled in distaste and he returned to a hazy image that replayed in his memory to distract him from the dark emotions that started to stir. A pink haired girl running up to him in a pink dress and long, chunky boots however there was something attached to her head, something big and black and something else attached to the dress, trailing behind her.

"_AOYAMA-KUN!"_ The figure's voice called as darkness rippled over.

'Was that Momomiya-san?' He thought, he tried to remember anything before that however all he could see was darkness. 'I don't know if it is Momomiya-san… Argh! Something is happening, I can sense that something is happening. These memories keep repeating and I'm seeing images I've never seen before!' Masaya sighed resting his head in his large hand.

'_Do you like me?'_ Ichigo's question echoed in his mind yet again as he walked along the pathway behind the gymnasium to find the girl in question mentally debating with herself. However, he didn't see the little keychain that dangled from her phone.

"Should I wait for him? No! No! I shouldn't really, I should just meet up with Miwa and Moe… What should I do Masha?" Ichigo asked.

"Wait! Wait!" Masha chirped. Ichigo mentally debated with herself before she slapped her face to rid herself of nervousness however it just returned with a vengeance. Her heart fluttered, reaching dangerous levels. 'Argh! I have to calm down or otherwise I mig-'

"Hello Momomiya-san," Masaya called out to her as he approached her. Her heart exploded as she turned to find Masaya looking at her kindly.

That did it. Her spine silently cracked, her tailbone growing out to create her long, black cat tail. Ichigo blushed as she felt the soft fur grow out of each pore on her tail. She quickly dived her hands behind her back, pulling her gray, school skirt down and she curled her tail up and around her waist. Her skin quivered as the tall boy approached her.

"Hello Aoyama-kun, ah, umm, I just wanted to say good luck at your match today," She shyly admitted, dragging her shoe along the pathway as her heart thundered away. Ichigo and Masaya felt a prickling sensation, as if they were being watched intently. Ichigo could easily pick up who it was by their strong scent of a particular perfume.

'Moe and Miwa,' Ichigo thought, knowing that they were probably peaking around the corner, watching over the 'two hopeless lovebirds' as they put it. Masaya smiled, feeling that warmth spread over his body just from being next to her and just from once glance at Ichigo.

"Thank you Momomiya-san," He then felt his chest pocket sink, as if it became extremely heavy due to the two pieces of paper inside turning to lead. His heart tightened as he tried to formulate words, "Umm, Momomiya-san, I was wondering if tomorrow, you would like to go to the zoo with me?" He asked, pull out a ticket that he had purchased online that morning. Ichigo's eyes brightened up, her heart singing, her pulse increase while Moe and Miwa were jumping and clutching each other in celebration.

'I can't believe it! Aoyama-kun asked me out! I can't believe it! Maybe he does like me!' Ichigo mentally cheered and danced in celebration. Her fur stood up as her blood raced through her body, she looked up at his hazel eyes and smiled at him.

"Thank you so much! I'll love to go!" She happily replied, relieving Masaya of the lead ticket, allowing him to take a deep breath.

"Okay, I'll met you there at ten then, Momomiya-san," He said as he went to walk into the gymnasium.

"Ah! Aoyama-kun!" She called out, he turned back to see her bow deeply and jump back up with a perfect smile on her lips, "Good Luck! I'll be cheering you on!" She said as she skipped away. Masaya watched her go before he closed the door behind him and sighed.

'Maybe… Maybe I do like you Momomiya-san…'

* * *

"Pudding-chan, your turn!" A girl called out as she messily landed of the high-bar. She stumbled across the blue gymnastic mats in her fluffy pink socks, returning to the back of the line. The large hall had been converted into a gymnastics gym, high-bars, balance beams and different mats and blocks were set up as a few P.E teachers taught the two classes of ten year olds how to use the equipment and perform somersaults and cartwheels. The thirty year old teacher stood next to not-so-high-bar, helping the children flip over the bar and then land. The yellow haired girl watched his eyes wander around, totally disinterested in the lesson.

'Just you wait na no da!' She thought as she approached the not-a-high-bar-at-all and clamped her small hands around it, the teacher prepared to give assistance as Pudding felt unbelievable power in her arms as she with no real input of energy swung her body up around the bar. Thrill shivered in each cell as she continued to spin herself around the bar, the air rushing through her hair as if she was running through air itself. She then straightened her arms up, propelling her body vertically up as she felt power vibrate under her skin and along every muscle tissue while her class watched her in complete wonderment. The teacher stood there, wide-eyed as Pudding smirked at him playfully.

"That's not all Pudding can do na no da!" She laughed as she let her body fall and spin around and she proceeded to lift her body up with a single arm. She gripped the metal bar tightly, embedding it into her palm as she dangled her free arm and legs around. Again, she dropped and spun around, changing arms and throwing herself up and catching the bar before her body hit the ground. Cheering and applause filled the hall as the P.E teachers froze up, their eyes shinning somewhat with admiration for the young girl. Pudding then gripped the bar with two hands and forced herself to spin around quickly, feeling her body's momentum increase until, she bunched her muscles up and flung herself into the air, as if jumping from a large tree, her arms reached out to grab another.

'Where did that come from na no da?' Pudding thought as she spun around gracefully and landed on her flat feet, the impact running along her limbs.

"PUDDING-CHAN!" Cries rose up as the teacher's clapped alongside the student as Pudding walked to the end of the line, thinking up how to show up that performance.

"How did you do that!" A tall, red-haired kid asked.

"Pudding has practiced acts like that with her dad since Pudding was little na no da!" Pudding told him however she was partly lying, she was getting help from the new strength inside her.

"Pudding-chan, why do you speak in third-person now?" Her friend in front asked, moving her last wobbly tooth around. Pudding blinked as she thought back to all of her conversations and realised now she spoke in third person aloud.

'Why does Pudding do that now na no da?' Pudding thought, 'Pudding never noticed up until now… '

"Um, Pudding was watching a show and Pudding's favourite character talked in third-person so Pudding copied it and now it's a habit na no da," Pudding lied, her yellow eyes widening in shock as she still continued to do it.

'When did it start na no da?' Pudding thought as she walked to Heicha's kindergarten. She slowly made her way there unlike her normal speeding, a blur of yellow hair. Her red school bag dragged her down as her normal bubbly nature was hauled along with it. 'That earthquake and that dream?' she thought back, that day was hazy but that dream of that strange monkey, staring her down playfully as it climbed up her bare body, its hands creating a trail of warmth until it bit open her forehead and left the scar. Pudding reached up and felt it, it felt strange and sensitive to the touch. The kindergarten came into view and Pudding glanced around, looking for any clean cars that might have been parked in front, waiting for her.

"Thank goddess, they aren't here na no da," Pudding murmured as she ran into the schoolyard. She, as per usual, greeted the receptionist and then walked to Heicha's classroom to come face to face with the purple eyed and short brown haired Yūshin-sensei.

"Hello Yūshin-sensei na no da," Pudding greeted her and Heicha slammed into her big sister, her little arms wrapping around her.

"Onee-chan!" Heicha cried happily, swinging around Pudding as Yūshin-sensei bowed in greeting.

"Pudding-chan, I'm sorry, but can we have another talk?" Yūshin-sensei asked her, Pudding nodded and followed her to the school gate. "Pudding-chan, have they come again?" She asked, looking out for a silver car, Pudding shook her head. "They'll come back again, I'll try and prevent them from coming back and also Pudding-chan," Yūshin-sensei said, brushing back her brown bangs.

"What?" Pudding asked, "What is it sensei na no da?"

"I want to help you, even if it's in a small way. You can't keep looking after your siblings like this," Yūshin-sensei said, "Please let me help you Pudding-chan, I can take Heicha home for you or help with shopping," Pudding took a step back as her sister's teacher came up with more examples.

'Help…' Pudding's voice echoed in her mind, 'No one has tried to help Pudding, no one at all, not the school, not Pudding's friends… No one… Should Pudding ask for help na no da?' Pudding considered it for a second before she shook her head.

"Sensei, you have a life outside being a teacher," Pudding started, "Heicha is just your student, you shouldn't worry about us so much. You're a young woman and, from watching television shows, you should be enjoying life, not worrying over us," Pudding said, "Pudding was born with the strength of ten, so Pudding can last until father gets back na no da!" Pudding smiled, Yūshin-sensei slowly smiled wistfully.

"Don't overdo it Pudding-chan," She said, giving up on her plight, "However, you know where to find me if you need help, no matter how small or big the task may be," She smiled kindly and bowed in farewell, Pudding returned the bow and turned around to leave when, "Pudding-chan, your father, his name is Master Wong Taren right?" she called out. Pudding and Heicha nodded as they looked at her puzzled.

"Yes, why did you want to know sensei na no da?" Pudding replied.

"I was just curious is all," Yūshin-sensei replied and bowed back at the two girls and walked off back to her classroom.

"That was strange huh Onee-chan?" Heicha said, looking up at Pudding with large, dark brown puppy eyes.

"Hmm, let's go home na no da!" Pudding said, scooping up her little sister's hand and they walked off to the large temple that their father had renovated into a large house. Pudding looked around, making sure that no one suspicious was approaching them, up until they got in the safety of their house.

"Onee-chan! Heicha! Welcome back!" The four brothers all said at once in a voice that melded together.

"We're back na no da," Pudding and Heicha answered back. Pudding walked up to her room where a fuzzy brown ball jumped on her immediately. Pudding stumbled back as small pet monkey sat happily on her shoulder.

"An-Nin! Don't scare Pudding like that!" Pudding scolded the monkey who lowered its head in an apology as Pudding went back into her room, dropping her bag on the floor and collapsing on the bed. An-Nin jumped off her shoulder and made a whimper as Pudding looked up at him. "Sorry, Pudding is just exhausted na no da," Pudding said. An-Nin made a cooing noise before he crept off and out of Pudding's room. However the small monkey returned with something in its strong tail and in his small hands. Pudding pushed herself up as An-Nin passed two pieces of fruit towards her, a small apple and a banana. Pudding picked them up and looked down in confusion. An-Nin pointed at the fruits and then to Pudding, making cute and strange facial expression that represented eating.

"You want Pudding to eat it? You brought it just for Pudding na no da?" Pudding smiled and picked up the little monkey, "Thank you An-Nin na no da," She set the monkey in her lap and picked up the apple first, and strangely enough, she could smell it. She sniffed, catching the wonderful apple scent that hit the roof of her mouth and she, without a second thought, took a large bite out of it and in quick successions took smaller bites out of the flesh. The natural sweetness of the apple amazed her, melting onto her tongue as she ate half of it and then stopped, passing the rest to An-Nin. An-Nin made a deep, almost clucking noise as he accepted it and happily ate it as Pudding moved onto the banana. With the strength that buzzed in her fingertips, she ripped away the top of the banana and the tore away each side, clutching the bare banana and eating it quickly, small quick bites before passing it onto An-Nin, who made another low noise and ate the rest. Pudding sighed as the food settled in her stomach and she curled up onto the bed, An-Nin following her.

'That feels so much better na no da!' Pudding thought, looking at the sleepy yet cheery An-Nin knowing he felt the exactly the same. She patted her companion from head to toe but felt a slight bump along the way. Alarm ran up Pudding's spine as she sat up, looking at the spot on An-Nin. She pulled him closer to her and ran her fingers quickly over his fur, trying to find the lump when she smelt it, the smell of a parasite and blood. She arched her back as the smell hit the back of her throat, sitting there like a tick, which she found. A brown bug was buried into An-Nin, its head fixed under his skin. Pudding frowned at it as she placed her fingertips around the swelling, feeling the blood flow under An-Nin's skin that the tick was happily drinking. 'Not for long!' Pudding snorted as she pushed inward quickly, the pressure pushed the tick out that was now the size of Pudding's fingernail. Pudding picked the tick up and looked at squirming in her grasp, it's little bloody head waving around to find its next victim. Pudding brought it closer to her mouth before the smell of blood snapped her out of it. She squashed the tick in her grasp, throwing it to the ground and stared at her bloody fingers and all of the dark filth that was trapped under her nails. Pudding jumped up, An-Nin falling to the ground as she ran to the bathroom. She ran to the sink, turning on the water and furiously scrubbing her hands and fingers.

"What was that?" She mumbled as An-Nin's blood washed off, swirling down the drain, "Pudding ate and shared food and then proceeded to groom An-Nin like… like…na no da" Pudding's eyes opened up as the dream repeated in her mind.

'That wasn't a dream! Somehow, somehow Pudding merged with a monkey! Pudding's new strength, the images of trees, love of fruits, sharing with An-Nin and grooming An-Nin… It all makes sense! Pudding is part monkey na no da!' Pudding took a step back as it all formed into place. Her shoulders began to tremble as a huge smile came across her face.

"THIS IS AWESOME NA NO DA!" She cheered, turning off the water to see what else she could do.

* * *

Ryou ruffled his blonde hair as he glanced out of the window, looking down on the park below. Dusk was settling over the area causing streetlights to slowly blaze to life as the city began to settle somewhat for the long night. A quiet wind danced through the trees, not stirring anything as it passed by the quiet park.

'If only it could be the same for this place,' He thought as he heard laughter from downstairs. He got up from his bed and grabbed a spare black shirt and the red choker that sat over his Mew Mark nicely. He ran a hand through his hair once more before he staggered out of his room. He walked down the stairs to find the four girls sitting at a long table that was filled with leftover cakes and sweets. Ryou was getting used to the sight of four girls in maid-like outfits. Hitomi looked a bit strange with her pale, mint-crème coloured dress and light red, strawberry crème coloured ribbons and sleeves however it did match up to her eyes perfectly. Mint sat there in her blue dress, sipping some tea like usual while Ichigo drooled over the waffle in front of her.

"This job is so worth it!" Hitomi said, "Best job ever!" She took another bite of a cheesecake and savoured it.

"I think I might get fat from eating to much," Lettuce mused however Mint just nudged her shoulder.

"If you gain weight, it'll probably fall right here!" Mint teased, pointing her fork at Lettuce's chest. Lettuce blushed and covered her chest while Ryou gazed on at Lettuce, his heart pounding as his eyes dropped down to that location.

"Mint-san! Don't say such things!" Lettuce flustered.

"I bet you're adored by a lot of guys," Hitomi added. Lettuce's face broke out in a deep, apple-red blush as she shook her head side to side, "Wait until Mew Lettuce becomes a superhero! All over the world boys will look at Mew Lettuce and say," Hitomi leaned back with a hand on her hip, looking Lettuce up and down before nodding her head, "-nice!" before she broke out in laughter, Ichigo and Mint giggling along with her. Lettuce put her hands in her lap and played around with her fingers, her eyes wide with bashfulness. Ryou looked at her and he thought about Hitomi's statement.

'That is true, I have to admit that she has a good figure… I mean, I am a guy so I can say that! Her battle outfit fits her well, it just sticks to her curves…And she looks adorable right now with her large, beautiful green eyes' His thoughts began to blubber out as a blush broke out across his face. 'What am I saying! I'm the respectable leader of this project! I shouldn't be checking out the girls! Especially not Lettuce! She is so kind and gentle! Keiichiro wouldn't do this! Well he makes any girls swoon but that's beside the point!'

"Anyway Ichigo-san, what about you and Aoyama-kun?" Lettuce asked. Ichigo paused chewing as three sets of eyes focused on her and Mint and Hitomi smirked to each other.

"We are fine!" Ichigo said after she swallowed, "We-we're going to the zoo tomorrow…" She trailed off as Mint smiled at her.

"He actually does like you a lot huh?" She commented as Ichigo's heart fluttered. Ryou swallowed hard as a stone fell in his stomach, sending his guts down into cold depths.

'That guys from before right…?' Ryou said as his heart tugged painfully, 'I wonder what they are like together? How far as he gotten with her? ARGH! Why am I thinking that!' He smacked his head into his hands repetitively as his blood began to boil with a strange feeling he had ever felt before.

"I hope so…" She added as Hitomi sighed.

"From the museum, it looked like he was at least, interested in you," She giggled as Mint joined her. Ichigo looked at the two of them with wide, embarrassed eyes. "Agh! She doesn't know yet?' Hitomi said as she saw Ichigo's clueless expression, "Mint Ane-chan, you tell her!" Hitomi said, a small blush on her cheeks as Mint cleared her throat.

"Remember when you tripped onto Aoyama? Eell what if that was due to a couple of cupids?" Mint coyly asked, looking off to side as Ichigo thought back to the museum. She remembered tripping over something and falling onto Masaya's warm body, how her body hung dangerously close to his, her blood boiling as a deep pool of heat burning between her legs and the feel of something sti-

"THAT WAS YOU!" Ichigo squealed, the heat returning as images repeated in her head. Hitomi and Mint nodded, both of them proud of themselves.

"It did work, you two were so cute and flustered," Hitomi sighed, cupping her cheeks in her hands.

"It was a cute little show," Mint agreed as Ichigo groaned.

"You two are little devils, you really are," Ichigo moaned, "And you two don't have any one special so I can't tease you,"

'What the hell happened that day? Cupids? What happened!' Ryou thought as his blood boiled, strings pulling on his heart and he started to pace back and forth on the corridor upstairs.

"It was something big, something happened and it was enough to make her flustered… Argh! What happened! If he put his little paws on Ichigo-,"

"Papa doesn't approve of the relationship?" Keiichiro chuckled as he tapped the pacing Ryou on the shoulder. Ryou's cat ears popped out in a nanosecond, his tail ripping out over his belt as Keiichiro held back a chuckle.

'Yep, easily flustered,' He thought as Ryou took a few breaths, his ears picking up Keiichiro's laughter.

"What's so funny?" Ryou hissed, his blue eyes burning.

"Nothing Ryou," Keiichiro coyly replied, "Just amazed how much that DNA is affecting you," Ryou's tail twitched at the remark, he crossed his arms and looked at Keiichiro.

"What do you mean?" Ryou tapped his finger on his upper arm as Keiichiro glanced off to the side.

"Well, you are showing the stereotypical signs of a over-protective parent," Keiichiro said. Ryou's heart throbbed and thudded as Keiichiro's words sunk in, he facefell as he realised it himself.

"I can't help it!" Ryou retorted, "She fell for that pretty-boy? And what kind of indecent things have they been up to!" He added, "It's pretty disturbing when I can smell the disgusting, putrid, salty smell of her frickin' arousal, ARGH!" Ryou screamed, which was heard downstairs.

"That sounded like Ryou-san," Hitomi said, "He sounds angry too,"

"You mean he sounds like he normally is?" Ichigo grumbled as she munched on a strawberry.

"I heard that you lit-" Ryou quietly hissed, his fur standing up on end as he prepared to storm off in a boiling blind fury. Keiichiro quickly swung his arms under and over Ryou's to prevent him from humiliating himself.

"Ryou, I thought you didn't want them to find out about Alto," Keiichiro said, snapping Ryou out of his rage. He took a few breaths and ran a hand through his hair.

"If she ever found out or if I told her, she will get a scratch for each insult she ever made against me," Ryou huffed as he went into his room.

"Still sounds like a Shoujo father," Keiichiro called as he walked by. Ryou just sat on the bed as he took a few deep breaths, his blood thinning as the rage disappeared. He felt his ears slide back down and his tail shrink back in. He relaxed after a long period of time, then there was a light knock on his door.

"Shirogane-san, It's Lettuce, may I talk with you?" Lettuce's gentle voice sounded. Ryou sat up immediately and opened the door to find her.

"Sure, come in," Ryou said as he pulled out an office chair from his computer desk. Lettuce's heart fluttered as she looked inside his small and rather empty room. She slowly walked in as she looked around, taking in everything in. Ryou looked back at her in confusion, his blue eyes landing on her's.

"_I bet you're adored by a lot of guys,"_ Ryou thought about Hitomi's words, his heart thudded as Lettuce looked at him with wide, nervous jade eyes behind large glasses that only added to her sweet skittish appearance.

"Sorry, just I've never been in a boy's room before," Lettuce admitted as she scratched her cheek with a finger, Ryou's heart lunged at the thought.

'I'm alone with a girl in my room,' Ryou thought. His heart pounded as images came flowing into his head, 'Normally in hentai, now the boy would comfort the girl and then…' Ryou's mind was flooded with images of bare flesh as his heart jumped and skipped.

"Oh is that so! It's the first time I've been alone with a girl in my room!" He blurted out nervously, his comment only added more of a blush to Lettuce's cheeks making Ryou beat himself up.

'I'm supposed to be respectable! Respectable image here!' He told his body as blood was rushing down south, 'Stop that right now!' Lettuce sat down on the office chair and looked at Ryou.

"Anyway, what did you want to talk about?" He said after he cleared his throat. Lettuce looked down at the ground as her fingers trembled.

"I was just thinking Shirogane-san, about the Mew Project and all that and I thought of a situation…" Lettuce started, Ryou listened to her as she formed her words, "Just, I'm pondering whether to tell my parents. They are so kind and nice to me and I just lying to them… It makes me feel horrible," Lettuce told him, "I can't keep it up however, what if they were to reject me? Throw me out since I'm not their little girl anymore…" Her eyes started to water, her throat clenching up as she imagined the faceless appearance of her parents as they refused to look at her, looking down on the freak that destroyed their little daughter, that killed their daughter. Her body trembled at the thought of leaving them behind, never waking up to see her mother cooking rice in the morning. Never again would she feel her mother comb her hair and make her look beautiful, her hands patting her back to calm her down whenever she cried, her hug protecting her from the cold. What if she never saw her mother again? What if her father ever looked at her again, never snuck into her room to give her advice and talk about students at his school while she sowed dolls. His proud gaze as he looked over her. What if that disappeared? Lettuce took her glasses off, placing them in her lap as tears fell down, running down her cheeks as the images played out in her head. She wiped them away however it was just replaced by more salty tears.

"Lettuce…" Ryou's heart thudded sickly as he watched the girl in front of him, slumped in a chair with tears running down her cheeks and onto her uniform, creating wet patches of salty water as spluttering sounded from words trying to well up to the surface. "Lettuce, just relax, it's okay," He crouched in front of her as her large, watery eyes looked up at him.

"I-If I ge-get kicked ou-t-t, can I wib-life here?" She wailed to Ryou with big pleading eyes. He melted, everything that made up the stubborn Ryou who tried to keep this harsh yet respectable figure was destroyed. He slid a hand onto Lettuce's wet cheek, ignoring the tears that poured over his fingers as looked deeply at her.

"I involved you girls, I did this to you so if that does happen, that is the least I will do for you Lettuce," he reassured her, "however don't think like that okay, we have to think positively," He told her, smiling warmly. Lettuce looked at him as her heart raced and she clumsily fell of the chair, slamming into Ryou's body. He fell onto his backside, his back slamming against his bed as Lettuce's body fell on top of his. She nuzzled her face into his chest as her body rocked and shuddered with tears. Ryou's skin prickled as her fingers tugged at his shirt and the tears started to seep through the thin material of the shirt.

"Th-thank you Shirogane-san…" She sobbed. Ryou looked up the ceiling as he pictured the situation he was in.

'What do I do?' He screamed at his brain, he shook his head at the answer but with a sigh he slowly rested his hand on her head.

"Everything will turn out okay," He said looking out at the night sky.

'I can only hope for that although, oh what have I done to these girls?'

* * *

**ZoeyHoshi:** Love is in the air. Honestly, I love writing these cutesy moments.

**Ryou:** It's either cutesy or violent…

**ZoeyHoshi:** Yep, just wait to you see what's coming up though HAHAH!

**Ryou:** (Sweat drop) Ummm… Yeah, I'm scared now…


	22. First Taste

**Author's Note**: I hate Daylight Saving! In Australia, we just moved onto Daylight Saving and it has mucked around with my natural sleep cycle! I'm still wide awake at 1am since it used to be 12am and its impossible to wake up before 11! Anyway, with this chapter, I have finished the first book and episode 7 of Tokyo Mew Mew! Party Time! We are onto the strong, energetic transformation of our little monkey, Pudding! Not to mention a scene that started the infamous pairing…

**Note:** I am Australian, and we have alternative ways of spelling certain words from America. Eg. Mum/Mom, -ise/-ize etc.

I know it is a major pain to do this, but please leave comments/reviews etc. because it **really** does cheer me up, knowing that this story is actually read and liked by people. **Thank you and sorry for all this!**

* * *

**Chapter 22: First Taste**

Masaya dodged flying blasts of energy that pelted through the thick, summery air. No matter where he went, the heavy tropical climate followed him and to his body that was used to the cool Japanese climate, it felt like he had hot armour stuck onto his skin. He felt balls of sweat fall down his brow and he clenched his teeth as he dragged a long sword behind him, fatigue and heat taking its toll. He ducked, barely dodging another wave of light, feeling the rippling heat pass over him that tingled his nerves. He knew if he got stuck in that attack, he would be hurt and burnt to say the least. However, out of the shadows a figure pounced onto of him, sending Masaya down and his sword sliding across the ground.

"_Not to bad,"_ Masaya's voice sounded automatically. He smirked up at the female figure that pinned him down with her bare feet as she grinned back flashing her fangs at him as she leaned in closer, showing her contracted pupils.

"Aoyama-kun! Aren't they cute!" Ichigo's voice broke into Masaya's mind. His hazel eyes widened as the view of the zoo came flashing into his head. He glanced around, his chest heaving as families and couples passed him, fences and cages lining the cement pathway. Masaya looked at the pink-haired girl, her big eyes focused on a group of exotic looking birds that were kept in the wire cage. She gripped onto the railing, leaning forward to get a closer look as she glanced back at Masaya, noticing his lack of reply, "Aoyama-kun?"

"Ah, yeah, they are…" He quickly replied to her as he looked at the birds distantly.

'What are these visions?' Masaya thought as Ichigo's happy expression dropped. Her eyes watched him as she walked up to him. 'They have just started and they are jumping all over the place. Sometimes it's that male, that male that makes me completely irrational and now… that female that attack me. Maybe these are just visions by my imagination? Memories of films and novels put together. If that is the case then… why are they coming up now? They feel like dreams and that wasn't my voice before… was it?' Masaya gave her a half-hearted smile and continued down the path. 'This is starting to control my life…'

'Did I maybe hurt or annoy him in some way? He doesn't look right…' Ichigo pondered as she followed him biddably, 'I'm really happy he invited me here but right now… he isn't even really here with me… I can't worry about it forever, maybe I can cheer him up! So I can see that smile,' Ichigo smiled to herself as she walked beside Masaya.

"Sorry to ask his Aoyama-kun but," Ichigo started, getting Masaya's attention, "What made you ask me?" Masaya blinked at her for a few seconds before he remembered back to the exhibition at the museum.

"I asked you that very same question," He chucked, making Ichigo's heart flutter a little, "Well, you enjoyed that exhibition so I thought that you might like to come here with me," He explained, he stopped in his tracks as he carefully chose his words.

'_Do you like me Aoyama-kun?'_ Her words echoed in his mind.

"I wanted to get to know you better," He said, causing Ichigo's heart to skyrocket, her blood rushing through her cheeks and creating her usual blush. Masaya smiled at her warmly and reached out to hold her hand in his. He could easily fit her small hands within his, protecting her while he could feel her jumping pulse through her wrist. Ichigo looked up at Masaya with her large eyes before she smiled happily, heat rushing up her body like hot, billowing smoke that sat at her cheeks, hands and stomach.

'I can't believe this! A few weeks ago this would have only been a distant dream!' Ichigo thought as she mentally threw a victory dance, 'Aoyama-kun, I wonder… is any of my feelings getting through? Anyway, I'm happy that I was able to cheer him up,' Ichigo thought to herself. Masha hovered up Ichigo's pocket, he sighed to himself as he looked out of the black shorts pocket scanning the area.

'Ichigo cruel, Masha want fly, want to fly,' Masha thought, sighing as he felt the constricting string that kept him anchored to her flip-top phone. Something lit up, a yellow flash of energy that set off several responses in Masha's body. He flapped his wings more, trying to fly out but he was stuck in Ichigo's pocket.

"Let Masha out! Masha found Mew Mew," Masha whispered, knowing her good cat hearing would pick it up however Ichigo was stuck in human emotions while on her perfect date.

* * *

"Where is Ichigo?" Mint asked Lettuce as she finished giving out menus to table five.

"She took today off, a date apparently with Aoyama-san," Lettuce explained, Mint sighed and set her tea up down on the Café Mew Mew brand saucer. It was starting to get busy and Mint knew that soon Hitomi will walk out to start her shift quite forcibly.

'I'll just enjoy this cup of tea while I can,' Mint thought as Hitomi walked out of the kitchen with a caramel tart and an iced coffee. She set it down and looked around the café, counting the number of full tables before she skipped over to Mint.

"Mint Ane-chan, can you start helping out now? It's almost the lunch hour rush, we'll need your help," Hitomi asked Mint. Mint nodded and scooped up her teacup, saucer and teapot. Mint knew better than to argue with Hitomi, not with that little bell in her pocket, sitting there like a ticking time bomb to destroy Mint's perfectly trimmed image. Mint set her teacup and saucer down next to the sink where the blonde and blue-eyed Ryou was leisurely washing up.

"Forced you to work too?" Mint asked him as she walked by.

"Yep, all of the rich have turned into the peasants," He sighed as he dried a plate.

"Mint-san can you take this to table two?" Keiichiro asked, pointing to two cappuccinos. Mint nodded and picked up the tray and walked out of the kitchen as Hitomi walked in with two dirty plates.

"I have to get you more credit than I give you Hitomi-san," Keiichiro started as he checked on some apple pies in the large, stainless steel oven, "It has been smoother here now that you arrived,"

"I heard that," Mint retorted walking back in, "And the only reason why I work is because Hit-" The two plates dropped from Hitomi's hands, shattering all over the floor. Mint and Ryou jumped, Keiichiro cringed while Hitomi didn't even move. Her hands became clammy as her gut dropped, her fingers frozen in a ridged position.

"Hitomi-san, are yo-" Keiichiro started as Mint realised that she was in a trace-like state.

"Hitomi?" Mint echoed as she walked up to the blonde haired girl. Hitomi spun around to face Mint, her eyes burning.

"Great!" Hitomi hissed, "I feel another burst of energy… there's another Mew at the zoo!" Hitomi ran her hand over her face as her blood began to boil.

"Another Mew? At the zoo, then Ichigo and Masha will find her," Ryou said, his and Keiichiro's faces lightening, with that, there was only one more Mew Mew to find.

"Yeah, leave it to her," Mint said as Hitomi glared at them all.

"That's not everything! There is something else!" Hitomi hissed, "There is something else there!" Ryou looked at her heated expression as she turned a bolted out of the kitchen, leaving Keiichiro and Mint in a confused daze.

"What's with her?" Mint shrugged as she took another order out. Ryou walked out of the kitchen after Hitomi, patting Keiichiro on the shoulder. He scented the air, following her lavender scent that guided Ryou to the back door which led to the private car park for Keiichiro. Hitomi was looking up at the sky sharply as if searching for something.

"What is it?" He asked, "You can tell me," He said as he stood behind her.

"You have cat genes right?" She didn't look at him, "You can sense it too right?" She asked, Ryou looking at her before he relaxed, letting his suppressed feline nature rise up. He felt it, he felt it alright… It was a scent, an aura that made Ryou's hair on his arms and neck stand on edge as he pin-pointed it near Ichigo's presence. Alarm ran up his spine as a low hiss rumbled in his throat, which made Hitomi's concentration jump a bit.

'First time I've seen any cat features on him,' She thought, laughing at little as the normally distant and cold image of Ryou was ripped apart as he lowered his head, like a furious feline.

"For a while, I sensed something but I thought nothing of it…" Hitomi admitted, "My family, I don't think they have this ability of mine or if they do, they don't bother to tell me. I've felt this type of… oppression, a dark cloud closing in and now I know what it is…" Hitomi looked down and heaved a sigh, "I'm going after Ichigo, she is on a date so she wouldn't react as a Mew Mew. If I can get Masha off her and get the new Mew Mew, we can check this out," She told Ryou.

"Wait, take someone else at least!" Ryou objected, looking at the strong-willed Hitomi.

"If it gets out of control, I'll alert you, Mint Ane-chan can get to the Zoo in a few minutes by flying so we'll be fine!" Hitomi replied to him, "You can't just shove everyone out of the café or serve them all yourself," She replied as she ran back into the café. Ryou smacked his cheek as she let out a disgruntled breath, he stood outside as he continued to pin-point Ichigo's whereabouts, to find her with Masaya. His cat genes sent a flare up his body, heating him but he swallowed it.

'He could protect her perhaps but the main thing right now is that we find this other Mew Mew and find this enemy before he finds them… Or us for that matter…' Ryou thought as Hitomi ran out in jeans and a frilly shirt, her hair tied up in a large blue tie.

"I'll alert you if anything comes up!" Hitomi called out as she ran off to the zoo.

* * *

Pudding smiled as she looked at the money she had made so far, she took a short break to put it in a purse that was strapped around her leg, attached to her skin-tight black lycra shorts. The sunlight poured onto the pavement, sending its heat down to the busy Zoo.

"Pudding's glad she dressed for warm weather na no da," Pudding mused aloud as she pulled off her baggy shirt so she was in her undershirt. She wiped sweat from her forehead and started to search for another target. She scanned the area to find a pink haired girl that was attached to a boy, looking at him with adoring eyes.

'She looks familiar na no da…' Pudding thought however she whistled out and flushed An-Nin out of the tree above her.

"It's show time!" She told him as she waited for them to approach her. "Hey! Come see Pudding's show na no da!" Pudding called out to them as she jumped on a ball and began to balance on it. Ichigo and Masaya stopped dead as Pudding began to show them a large array of acts. Pudding jumped off the ball and picked up an old fashioned umbrella and An-Nin jumped on it and he began to perform on to while he shrieked in joy.

'That girl… She was from the museum exhibition and she's the one that saved Lettuce!' Ichigo realised as Pudding juggled objects around, a few children and families crowding around to watch in wonder. Pudding then threw the plates off the sticks and proceeded to catch each one. She bowed as everyone began to clap, dropping money in the bucket Pudding had beside her. Pudding watched with delight as money dropped into, making wonderful sounds as it clashed together. She held up the bucket as her audience passed her, some congratulated her as they walked by however the pink haired girl walked by without dropping a single coin. Pudding jumped around to face the two dead on.

"Hey, Pudding put on a good show na no da!" She told them as Ichigo's face dropped.

"But, I didn't want to see it. You jumped out in front of me," Ichigo replied as her lips quivered.

'Man, she is persistent!' Ichigo thought as Pudding's yellow eyes began to water over, her face dropping as she looked down.

'Pudding's secret technique! Glittering Agony of Fake Tears na no da!'

"Pudding tried… Pudding thought that you would like the show… Pudding tried her very best na no da…" Pudding whimpered as An-Nin hopped on her shoulder, cooing softly into her ear. Masaya and Ichigo looked down and around, feeling the burn of judging eyes sitting on them as tears began to fall down her cheeks.

"Hey! Hey! It's okay!" Ichigo stammered as she dived into her pocket and pulled out some wrapped candy.

'She's a kid, so this should make her happy,' Ichigo thought and dropped them into the bucket, much to Pudding's delight as she heard something fall into the bucket.

"Thank you na no da!" Pudding said and walked off, allowing the couple to walk off. Pudding dropped the bucket down and took a gulp of her water and sighed. "Today has been good so far! Let's see what we made An-Nin na no da!" She cheered as she peered into the bucket to find what Ichigo had left her. Pudding picked them up and glared at them. "That isn't money na no da!" She spat. She threw them to the ground before her she picked them up again.

'May not be money but everyone will like a treat when Pudding gets back home na no da,' She thought, putting them in her bag.

"Let's go An-Nin! Someone has a debt to pay Pudding na no da!" Pudding called as she stuffed the money into her large wallet. An-Nin held onto her as she ran off in search of the two lovebirds.

* * *

Ichigo walked out of the restroom, stretching her back as she smiled happily.

'This is the best!' She skipped along the path, back to where Masaya was waiting when someone running at full speed slammed into her back, sending Ichigo and the figure toppling over painfully onto the pavement and into a brick wall.

"Man, that hurt! Ichigo!" Hitomi rubbed her back as Ichigo sat up to looked at her, confusion dazing her as she laid back on the cool wall.

"Hitomi? What are you doing here?" Ichigo asked her, pointing at her as she stood up.

"Nevermind that!" Hitomi said and held out her hand, "Give me Masha!".

"Why?" Ichigo looked at her confused.

"What kind of hero are you? Love dazed too much to notice your surroundings? There's a Mew Mew here! At this zoo! Give me Masha and I'll find her, you can go back to your date okay?" Hitomi explained, annoyance adding a sharp tone to her words as Ichigo pulled Masha out who turned into his normal form.

"Mew Mew!" he called out, "Masha sense Mew Mew!".

"Yep, let's go Masha!" Hitomi said, turning around to run off before she came to a halt, "Watch out Ichigo, if something bad happens, transform straight away!" Hitomi called out and she ran away, leaving a confused Ichigo. She stood up and rubb her head a little bit before she headed off to Masaya. Ichigo felt a little cross as Hitomi's words replayed in her mind, her blood simmering and pulsating harshly.

'Love Dazed? She doesn't understand. She doesn't want a boyfriend right now so she wouldn't understand! What kind of hero? Pah! She doesn't even have powers like me, she can just see Ki!' Ichigo shook her head as Masaya came into her view. She skipped up to him, forgetting Hitomi's words as his hazel eyes locked onto hers. However on this perfect day, everyone failed to notice a sky ripple as a cloaked figure landed on the zoo's main building. A pale hand fixed the ripped and dirty hood so it hid two pointed ears. Yellow eyes scanned the around, confused slightly at the area he was at. Many humans were paying money to view animals crammed into small pens. However, the figure smiled as he realised the potential this place held for destruction.

"Humans… Its places like this that cause your demise…" Kish laughed as he released a horde of Para Parai from his cloak, watching them find incredible and tough hosts to play out the Kaerufan's bidding.

* * *

Alarms ran around the zoo, calling for attention as an urgent voice screamed over the sound system.

"EVACUTE! EVACUTE!" The one word created an echoing and repetitive sound of screaming, terrified screaming as Chimera Animas began to break out of the tall enclosures and destroying the zoo itself. A Chimera Jaguar tried to break the bars of its cage, causing families and people to flee in terror. Masaya's eyes locked onto the creature that furiously tried to push its bars aside. The memory of Ichigo continued on as a large monster appeared behind her and it went black.

'This! This has happened before!' He realised.

"Momomiya-san! Let's go!" He called, dragging her away from the Anima as Ichigo's large eyes looked back at it.

'_What kind of hero are you? Love dazed too much?'_ Hitomi's words repeated in her mind as the Anima began to slip out of its cage, its claws flailing around try to swipe a person from their feet, '_If something bad happens, transform straight away!_' Hitomi's serious tone snapped through to her.

"I'm sorry," She whispered as she pretended to slip, tearing her hand painfully from the warmth of Masaya's. Masaya looked back as Ichigo disappeared under the countless numbers of fleeing people.

"MOMOMIYA-SAN!" Masaya's yell sounded above the chaos as Ichigo watched on sadly from the large shrubs.

"I'm sorry…" Her voice cracked as she pulled out her Mew Pendant. It seemed so heavy to hold it, like lead that chilled her body to the core, "…but I'm Mew Ichigo… I have a job to do… Even though I don't want to leave you… Mew Mew Strawberry Metamorphosis!" Ichigo called, kissing the pendant half-heartedly and transformed. However, she didn't notice Pudding that watched on as Mew Ichigo appeared out of a flash of pink light, her cat tail hanging low as the Chimera Jaguar burst out of its cage and a Chimera Lion pelted around, chasing off a lagging bunch of people, slobber falling from his large fangs and getting caught in a large, flowing mane that was stained by a deep, dark red that made Mew Ichigo sick to her stomach, "Please… Don't say its blood…"

"How did you do that na no da!" Pudding asked Mew Ichigo. Mew Ichigo's face dropped even more, shock adding to it as she spun around to see the little ten year old watching her.

'Shit! I've been found out!'

"Kid, run, okay!" Mew Ichigo shook away her shock and jumped out of the shadows, "Hitomi! Masha!" She wailed as the Chimera Animas closed in, "I'm in shit!" She said as she held her Strawberry Bell tightly. Pudding followed Mew Ichigo, her eyes full of wonder. "Kid! Run! There's Chir-"

"No! Pudding is just like you! How did you transform na no da?" Pudding asked her making Ichigo's eyes widen.

"Just like me?" Mew Ichigo echoed, her eyes then locating a pale mark on her forehead.

'How did I miss that!' She thought as the two Chimera Animas pounced.

"Ribbon Strawberry Bubble!" She screamed, creating the barrier to protect them as the Animas circled them, growling as they planned another attack.

'I didn't realise how difficult it is with only me…' She thought as the Jaguar Anima pounced. Mew Ichigo moved Pudding behind her and then aimed at the Chimera Anima.

"Ribbon Strawberry Check!" She blasted a shot right into the face of the Anima, shattering her Strawberry Bubble and sending the shards along with the beam of pink light, adding a sharp edge to the attack. The attack at point blank was enough to pierce through the body and flush out the Para Para.

"I thought you were amazing… You truly are," Kish's voice sounded, the Lion Anima stopped its attack and sat down like a tame canine. Mew Ichigo spun around to see a cloaked figure on top of the mangled cage of the Jaguar. Mew Ichigo felt a chill down her spine and her throat and chest become taut as she saw glowing yellow eyes looking her down with a strange glint in them. "Get the little one my pet," Kish commanded, the Lion Anima swiped its paw around, its claws sheathed and bowled Pudding and An-nin over. She ignored the burns of the concrete on her shoulders however then giant amounts of pressure slammed her in the back as the Anima pressed its large paw over her, preventing her from escape. An-Nin hissed and powerfully bit down on one of its toes however the Anima just flicked him away. Kish then floated down of the cage, ripping the cloak away from his body and his thin lips locked onto Mew Ichigo's warm, glossy pink lips. His thin and cold hands wrapped around her wrists and he threw her to the ground. Mew Ichigo felt his tongue slide across her lips, wiping off her pink lipstick as his nails began to dig into her skin. A horrible feeling of icy, heavy dread bleed out from her heart, creeping along her blood vessels as Kish pulled away, looking deep into her eyes. "Thanks for the kiss kitten," He chucked as Mew Ichigo's eyed filled in fear, making Kish laugh more, his fingers trembling with greed. "I thought I would set up an attack, and you appeared quicker than I expected and without our nakama, how brave… how adorably stupid,"

'He kissed me… He kissed me…' Mew Ichigo thought in horror as Kish sat on her, placing his weight on her.

"Dragon Swords," He called, summoning his Sais. He pointed one at her neck and he looked her down eagerly, "I must say, you have a beautiful body… If you weren't my enemy… I would maybe save your life from all this horror and take you home my kitten, however watching your beautiful eyes fill up with fear is very satisfying," He said as he shoved a Sai down to the ground, it ripped through her armband and cracked into the pavement. He grinned as she tried to move her arm however the blade of the Sai kept it in place, must to Kish's delight as he repeated the action, "I don't want you to run off now do I?" He breathed heavily, his words full of twisted lust as he slid his hands over her chest, feeling her breasts fall up and down as he forcibly pushed his legs in between hers to pull them apart. She shrieked as she felt an unwanted draft on her backside, Kish pulled back to marvel at her curves and her petrified face, her ears flattened to her head and her body quivering. He slid a hand over her warm thigh, enjoying the heat that emitted off her skin, the way her blood rushed under his cool touch and the way it blossomed more fear in her eyes as she tried to struggle from him. Kish let out a chuckle and grabbed her chin, pulling her face up roughly to look into her eyes.

"My name is Kish by the way kitten, what's yours?" He chuckled as Mew Ichigo felt something hard press up against her special spot roughly, creating drops of tears in her eyes.

"IT'S MEW ICHIGO YOU FUCKING ASSHOLE!" Hitomi's voice sounded, Kish turned his head around to see a blonde human run up and without delay, smacked her foot into his cheek. Kish let out a shocked gasp as his body was sent flying off Mew Ichigo's body and into a tall brick fence, the pink Mew looked up at her saviour with wide eyes as a shadow loomed over Hitomi. The Lion Anima walked up to her, releasing Pudding and growled at the defiant human who slightly cowered in fear. Hitomi took a few steps back before tripping over one of the Sais, collapsing onto the ground. "This is it…" Hitomi breathed, closing her eyes.

"Ribbon Mint Gatling!" Mew Mint's voice sounded and little blue arrows assaulted the area, kicking up dust and concrete to create a cloud of confusion on the two enemies. Hitomi and Mew Ichigo cringed as some arrows painfully hit her, the heat stinging deep into their skin and creating little burns in their skin. Hitomi shuddered in pain as she ripped the two Sais away from Mew Ichigo and the two stumbled up, running straight to the protection of Mew Lettuce and Mew Mint.

"Hitomi! Mew Ichigo!" Mint called out as they saw the two appear, Hitomi staggered to Mint and slumped on her exposed shoulder. Ichigo's knees trembled, her lips quivering uncontrollably as tears fell like a waterfall down her pale cheeks. Her skin grew pale and clammy as images flashed into her mind. Her knees gave out, sending her to the ground as she covered her face with her shuddering fingers

"Good timing…" Hitomi breathed as Mew Ichigo began to blubber.

"He tried to ra- He was going to rape me!" She wailed as Kish stood up, picking up his Sais as she shrugged.

"I was going to rape you lovingly!" He laughed and his gaze watched over the group of girls. Hitomi looked defiantly at him before she scooped up Pudding's hand and dragged her off. "I won't let you run off so easily," He called however Mew Lettuce pulled out her Lettuce Castanets.

"Ribbon Lettuce Rush!" She created her razor waves, Kish flew up higher thanks to the Anti-G anklets and looked down at the Mews. "We are your opponents!" Mew Lettuce called as Hitomi and Pudding disappeared into the undergrowth.

"Let Pudding fight na no da!" Pudding complained as they found a clear and deserted area, "Pudding's just like them na no da!" Pudding exclaimed as Hitomi stopped moving and looked at her.

"You already know? How?" She asked, her eyes wide.

"Pudding started acting like a monkey!" Pudding explained, "It was easy to figure out na no da!"

"You got that right, so far, you're the smartest out of all of them, Masha!" Hitomi called out, the pink fluffy ball appearing in a puff. His eyes fixed on Pudding and without lingering, created her Mew Pendant that dropped into Pudding's hands

"Mew Mew Pudding Metamorphosis!" Pudding yelled, kissing the pendant just as Ichigo had, letting the light wash over her. She welcomed the soft, gentle light as it crafted her a yellow jumpsuit-like outfit while her ears started to change, forming into a different shape and orange, long, soft hair covering them as her tailbone extended and the same hair covered it. She giggled at the light when it wrapped around her legs, creating yellow leg-warmers that were held in place by orange string and orange traditional Chinese shoes covered her feet. The light washed away to reveal the usual yellow garter, choker and armbands with orange lace decorating it. The light ran over her hands, tickling in between her fingers as they crafted fingerless, orange gloves.

"Mew Pudding, fused with the Golden Lion Tamarin," Hitomi smiled as the second last Mew Mew appeared in front of her.

"Let's go kick some butt na no da!" Pudding smiled and the two ran back to the battlefield.

* * *

"This is hopeless!" Mew Lettuce wailed as the next Para Para jumped back into another body, creating the sickening transformation into a Chimera Anima. The Lion Anima prowled around them as Mew Ichigo stuck close to the two other Mews.

"Fun is more like it," Kish said as he lazed around in the air. Mew Ichigo looked up at the green haired alien and glared at him.

"So, you are our enemy…" She hissed.

"Just figured that out now?" He teased her, "Yep Kitten but I'm not your only one!"

"Ribbon Pudding Ring Inferno!" Mew Pudding yelled as two different sized rings of yellow light flew out of the trees, pelting through the air. Kish watched, curious where it came from when they positioned themselves over the group of Chimera Animas and in a flash, trapped them all in a jelly-pudding like prison. Mew Pudding jumped out of the trees, holding a yellow tambourine and a smaller orange hoop with a bell attached to it, the main tambourine had the ribbon and glass heart design on it with her Mew Mark on it, two, curled monky tails above a heart and four drops around the heart. She landed on the ground and approached the three Mews.

"Told you Mew Pudding could fight na no da!" She laughed.

"You trapped them all!" Mew Ichigo cheered, "Then we can finished this!" and she picked up her Strawberry Bell and aimed it for the large jelly-like cage.

"This is for kissing me you jerk! Ribbon Strawberry Check!" Mew Ichigo cried, sending the attack at the cage, spreading the heated attack to all of the Chimera Animas, flushing the invading Para Parai out however the Ring Inferno kept them in place as Masha began to collect them. Kish huffed as his Para Parai were destroyed. He gazed at the four Mews, his gaze heating up on Mew Ichigo as she glared at him.

"Heh… Interesting, there's more of you… Thanks for the show my toys," He laughed, he pressed the button on his communicator and he disappeared into thin air.

"So, that's our enemy huh?" Hitomi said as she came out of the bushes with An-Nin.

"That sick jerk…" Mint sighed as she crossed her arms, looking around the area, "I hope no one got hurt…" Mew Ichigo's knees gave out and she toppled to the ground, her body quivering, the girls rushed to her and helped her back up.

"Mew Ichigo, he didn't do it, your okay and anyway…" Lettuce said as she helped her up, "You better find Aoyama-san," She said.

"Aoyama-kun?"

* * *

Masaya cradled his head in his hands as he stood near the gate of the zoo as the police and other special services poured into the now quiet zoo.

'No matter what they said, something was happening back there….' He thought as a cold fog sat over him, 'Momomiya-san… She is probably… No! No! She isn't! She is…'

"…Aoyama-kun…" A dejected, heavy voice sounded. Masaya jumped up as a figure slid through the bars of the outer fence. Her hair was out and in a mess as her body stumbled out of the fence and into Masaya's body.

"Momomiya-san! Are you okay! I was so worr-" He held her as her large eyes looked up at him, watering over as her body trembled. He felt so much warmer than Kish, his tanned skin compared to pale white, his eyes looking at her warmly and gently. Ichigo shuddered and wept into his shoulder, her body convulsing as images flashed in her mind. The way his yellow eyes looked her up and down, hungrily as he pinned her down. The pressure on her body that shifted around and his hands seized her small wrists. His cold lips compared to his hot tongue. The hard object that poked into her special place…

"I'm… sorry…" She cried as Masaya wrapped his arms around her protectively. He sat down, sitting her in his lap as she continued to sob heavily. He ignored the increasing wet patch on his white and black shirt as he stroked her hair softly, feeling it between his fingers and her warm body that curl into his. His heart slightly jumped at this, his blood rushing as he brought her closer to him.

"It's okay Momomiya-san, It's okay. I'm glad that you're safe," He hushed, resting his cheek on her head as her wailing turned into pitiful mewling.

"Thank you… Aoyama-kun…" She whimpered.

'I love you…' She thought as she clenched to him more, her fear dying out in the heat of his chest.

* * *

**Zoey Hoshi**: For some reason, this chapter seems really, really long! I don't know, it just feels like so much happens! Maybe I'm just tired?

**Keiichiro**: It would be healthy to go to bed earlier Zoey Hoshi-san

**Zoey Hoshi**: But I don't wanna!

**Pudding**: Pudding hopes you enjoyed the chapter na no da!


	23. What is it? Show me…

**Author's Note**: To my loyal readers that love to make up their own theories about what is going to happen next, I've created a treat for you! Many novels I have read have the mystery dream that unlocks the next piece of the puzzle (Watership Down, Misery, Warriors, Harry Potter and Felidae to name a few) and I decided to get it a go! Also, my friends and I were discussing making this story into an animation (Simple one at that, basic animation) if I get a certain amount of hits this month. So just keep supporting The Mew Project and it might be on YouTube in a month perhaps!

**Note:** I am Australian, and we have alternative ways of spelling certain words from America. Eg. Mum/Mom, -ise/-ize etc.

I know it is a major pain to do this, but please leave comments/reviews etc. because it **really** does cheer me up, knowing that this story is actually read and liked by people. **Thank you and sorry for all this!**

**~Translation Note~**

**Seven thousand yen is roughly $70**

* * *

**Chapter 23: What is it? Show me…**

Mint and Hitomi walked out of the Ballet Academy, the night air hitting them harshly as a gale passed over. Mint pushed her red, long sleeve dress down, waiting for the breeze to pass before relaxing. She mentally hit herself for not bring jeans and a simple long-sleeve shirt like Hitomi did. The tall buildings looming over them began to light up, filtering out the stars while the new moon kept hidden under darkness. Mint looked around, the streets were bare except for the casual businessmen walking to the nearest bar to drink to the point they fight, steal objects and make idiots of themselves over texts to wake up the next morning outside the train station.

"Are you sure it's fine to walk home at this time?" Mint asked Hitomi who walked down the cement steps. She looked left and right at the line of banked up traffic that always sat outside the Ballet Academy. Hitomi stretched her arms out in front of the line of immobile cars.

"We can walk faster than they can move right now!" Hitomi pointed out. Mint just looked right and left and heaved a sigh. "Is superhero Mint getting scared of the dark?" Hitomi playfully teased her, Mint threw her a sharp look.

"No! Just that fath-" Mint started before she stopped herself.

'Wait… I hate my father, that's why I'm hanging out with Hitomi in the first place!' Mint realised and walked beside Hitomi alongside the main road. 'That's the reason why… Is that still the reason why?' Mint wondered as she glanced quickly at the blonde hair girl, 'She is still like a commoner, still rough on the outside however confident due to her wealth. She is a perfect mix between rich and common truly. However, she does things for the team and myself… She does all this work for me and we hang around together-' Mint's thoughts stopped dead when her eyes laid on a shadowed male figure slumped against a brick fence, his dirty hair in a black, old beanie and his eyes staring slightly down at the pavement.

"It's him again…" Mint murmured as she walked a bit closer to Hitomi. Hitomi however didn't move, she kept walking closer and closer to figure. Mint tapped her on the shoulder to get her attention. "Shouldn't we find another way to go home?" She asked her, Hitomi looked confused before she glanced at the homeless man. Hitomi dug into her jeans pocket and pulled out seven thousand yen and walked up to the man. Mint's legs froze up, her heart thundering as Hitomi knelt beside him.

"Excuse me, I know this isn't a lot but go find a hotel to stay in for the night instead of here sir," Hitomi said, holding out the yen to him. He looked up at her with his good brilliant purple eye, his other closed over due to an old injury that never healed properly. He pulled smile over his cracked lips, showing his poor teeth however Mint's heart thudded as he looked at the two with genuine, warm appreciation.

"Bles' you gurils… Bles' you!" His voice was heavy with gratitude however his words struck a cord with Mint that resonated to her heart, reverberating around her taut chest. Her heartbeats were warm and gentle and she felt great in a strange sense, she felt caringly powerful as Hitomi smiled at him.

"Good evening sir," She replied, standing up and she continued walking down the street and Mint casted one more glance at the man as he shifted himself up and walked down the street. She felt her heart drop a little as he stumbled away, her blue eyes on him before he shot a quick glance at Mint. The two looked away quickly, Mint's heart pounding in alarm and she glanced at the casual looking Hitomi.

"Why did you do that?" Mint asked her, "What if he attacked you?" She hissed.

"He wouldn't do that, he is so weak and he isn't a violent man like some of them. Even if he did, what would you do Mint Ane-chan?" Hitomi pointed out and slyly asked her blue haired friend.

"Isn't it obvious! I would transform and save yo-" Mint replied before Hitomi smiled at her.

"You would do that for me Mint Ane-chan? For the new money girl that forces you to work and in front of the public?" Hitomi smiled kindly as Mint's cheeks grew red and she stomped off in front of her with her arms crossed tightly over her chest.

"I can't leave you if you were attacked, that's all and it's my job to look after you," Mint replied, closing her eyes while she tried to control her flustered heart. Hitomi smiled and caught up to her blue haired girl before she looked up at the stars.

"My job to look after you really Mint Ane-chan," Hitomi smirked as they continued down the sidewalk. She took in the quiet and serene city, there was no sign of disturbance nor sign of anything that threatens them, "Lucky that Kish hasn't attacked again… And there hasn't been any sign of Chimera Animas anywhere since the zoo," Hitomi mused aloud as they walked on a deserted path.

"Hey, you can sense Mews in a sense right? Can't you sense the last one now?" Mint asked her. Hitomi shook her head, her long blonde hair flicked around her shoulders since it was out, not in her usual high ponytail.

"They have to have a burst of Ki, I think the last one is the Grey Wolf. Both DNA have to clash together and flare up out of the mass of burning energy of Tokyo. I can follow it when it flares up and when I meet the person face to face, I can imprint their unique Ki into my memory and find them whenever I want… It's kinda hard to explain," Hitomi explained.

"So you can sense me when I'm at home?" Mint piped up.

"You could be in across the world, I would just be able to pick you up… Well at least I think… We'll have to test that one day," Hitomi giggled. A long silence passed over them and before they knew it the large, mud brick mansion of the Aizawa estate came into view, the two walked to the large gate before Hitomi faced Mint. "I'll see you at school tomorrow Mint Ane-chan," Hitomi waved and continued on alone.

"Wait… Why did you do that? The homeless man I mean" Mint asked her as she put in the code to open up the gate. Hitomi turned around to look at Mint before she answered.

"Why? Because we are lucky Mint Ane-chan, we are very lucky and we have to help those less fortunate…" Hitomi replied, "From donating to help the Red Cross with international disasters to that homeless man, we have to help them somewhat. We have money laying around that does nothing. That could fix and save lives you know, See you tomorrow," Hitomi turned back and walked down the street, leaving Mint in a confused mess.

'Help those less fortunate… I do that for organisations… however to a common man…' Mint wondered as she walked into her house and the maids nearby dropped their job so they could bow politely to Mint.

"Welcome home Mint Ojou-sama," They all said together with a professional smile that they always give. Mint's mind softened at this and she nodded back to them all.

"I'm home," Mint smiled back at them and walked to her room leaving some of the maids to look on in confusion as her smile repeated in their minds.

Mint threw her bag down on the floor and fell onto her bed, waking up Micky who jumped up and glanced around wildly from the bottom of her bed. He calmed down when he saw it was just Mint. He nuzzled Mint's neck in welcome and curled up at the end of her bed to fall back into sleep.

'Not a bad idea Mickey…' Mint thought. She closed her eyes and before she knew it, she felt deep into darkness.

She continued to fall, through thick clouds and warm, sticky clouds before her body snapped painfully against glass, sending long cracks along the curved glass. The sound of the cracking glass distorted to the sound of screeching, a horrible mix of alarmed, shrieking birds and the horrified screams of people. The cracks met up around her, forming a large spider web that spread out, bled out from Mint's body. She looked around in a frantic manner, her body was stuck to the vertical glass, stuck to the spider web in the glass and her arms and legs were outstretched as if she was being tortured or she was being crucified on a cross. Her chest heaved as her heart filled with agitated and distressed blood, rushing around her blood vessels like a wild animal, trying to find a way to get out. Mint's body felt heavy, weights placed on her body as the high-pitched grinding of broken glass shattered, finally giving out and shattering the large, hourglass structure. Mint fell helplessly through the thick air, her body flicking around like a ragdoll as the sand poured out of the shattered hourglass and onto the dry earth below. Mint clenched her eyes closed as fragments of glass and particles of sand sliced and grazed over her skin, pain searing up her body before she fell violently and sunk into the deep, gritty sand. Mint knelt up in the sand that clotted up her thin cuts as her crimson plasma dribbled down her body, attracting more sand to absorb its red colour. Her blood continued to flow, creating a patch of red, blood soaked sand. The metallic and earthy smell of the sand slammed into her nose, scratching at the back of her throat. Mint hissed as she stumbled up, bloody sand covering her skin in a thin layer and the heavy, hot air pressed down on her, prickling her tattered skin and adding the unpleasant smell of her odor to the blood sand. She rubbed her nose yet nothing could get rid of it. A tremor rumbled under the layers of sand and a tall pile of sand extended up in front of Mint before it exploded, different colours of layered sand pouring aside as a giant cougar crawled out of the sand, its deep, dark blue eyes glaring straight into Mint's fearful eyes as its large paws dug into the sand, its deep growl echoing through the pitch black sky and surroundings. Mint stumbled back, her body aching with pain as the cougar roared, knocking Mint of her feet and sending her into the now damp sand. The blood created a horrible, thick mud that stuck and covered her skin, drenching her skin and hair with the deep plasma. She watched the cougar approach her, baring its teeth in a triumphant smirk before strange, bloody tentacles ripped from its nostrils, sliding out and around like mindless and boneless fingers. Its pupils dilated over the iris and enveloped the eyes in darkness as the fur was ripped aside by grotesque, bubbling flesh, its veins pulsating as it yowled. Its mouth hovered over Mint, its long tongue uncurling towards her and its hot breath on her until she felt a prick on her shoulder. She glanced across to see a bright wasp, injecting freezing cold toxin into her before darkness washed over her.

* * *

Mint woke up her heart thundering in her chest, her skin covered in a layer of clammy sweat. Mickey opened his hazel eyes, looking at her with deep worry as Mint slipped off her bed, her body quivering as she made her way to her en suite. She closed the door and pulled off her sweaty clothes, she sniffed them once, she shrunk back at the heavy smell of body odor and the smell of blood that appeared from no where and she quickly threw her dress into the laundry basket and jumped into her frosted glass shower. She ran the water over her skin, washing away furiously at her skin, hoping the dress would wash away as well however her dream but it kept lingering in her mind.

'What was that all about? A cougar and hourglass… Am I just going insane!' Mint wondered as she finished her shower and proceeded to dress in her white silk nightgown. Mickey watched her as she walked back to her bed when the maids' voices sounded again, greeting back someone. Mint walked to the door to find a tall sixteen year old boy walking up the stairs. His midnight blue hair was combed back neatly and his face held a serious expression as he carried a large leather briefcase in his hand. His blue, padded blazer sat over a white button-up shirt and a crimson tie finished off the image of a pampered private school boy. Mint smirked as her brother walked towards her, his dark grey eyes resting on her for a second before he continued down the hallway.

"Welcome home Nii-sama," She said.

"Hello Mint, sorry but I am very tired, we'll have to talk another time," Seiji groaned as he passed her.

"Oh yes, just like every other day… I bet you don't even know what position I am in Ballet," Mint murmured loud enough so Seiji could pick it up.

"Mint, I am about to go overseas! It's important that I prepare for this, I don't have time for your games!" Seiji hissed. Mint's heart thumped sickly in her chest, she looked down at the ground and then swept back into her room, slamming the door behind her. She slumped up against the white door, her mind flicking over the events of the past few weeks and her dream repeated over and over. Her heart picked up speed as her mind boiled, her blood raging over her.

'Important? You're important? Please! You don't even know how insignificant you are compared to me! Almost everyday I risk my life to save yours! I'm so much more important than you! Than father himself! One day, I'll show you all why I'm the superior sibling, why I am not a waste of space in this family!' Mint growled mentally as her fist trembled with power. However her phone began to vibrate, her ringtone playing on her bedside. She glared at it before she got up and picked it up.

"Mint Ane-chan, are you okay? I can feel your Ki from here! It's flaring up like crazy! What's up?" Hitomi's voice came through the phone. Her voice was starting to fill with anxiety.

"I'm okay, just something come up at home…" Mint huffed. There was a long silence before Hitomi spoke up.

"You know, friends tell each other their worries and problems… I'm willing to listen," Hitomi said. Mint rolled her eyes as she thought about it before she sighed.

* * *

"Hey, Pudding is curious na no da," The yellow haired girl asked as she picked up the menu sign to place it outside. Ryou stopped and gazed back at the youngest Mew Mew in her yellow and dark yellow custom made Café Mew Mew uniform, "Pudding started talking like this after that, why is that?" Pudding asked him, "Not that Pudding minds it anymore na no da,".

"Let's see, well Golden Lion Tarmarins live in families with an alpha pair and everyone looks after the young. Perhaps since you are the youngest, you may speak in third person to show respect to all of the elders, us, that would take care of you," Ryou replied, "That's only a theory though," however Pudding just giggled.

"You take care of Pudding? More like Pudding takes care and protects all of you! Pudding knows Martial Arts after all na no da!" She grinned as she ran outside, past the line of customers that had come here after school and were waiting for them to open. Ichigo and Mint looked at it and sighed Mint knew she wouldn't have her tea for quite a while, not with Hitomi around anyway.

"This is going to be a long shift," Ichigo moaned as Lettuce began to take customers to their tables. Ichigo helped her while Mint and Hitomi finished putting the cakes on display. Mint pulled up a chair and sat behind the counter as Pudding jumped back in the café and helped take some orders.

"Hey Ichigo, come serve us already!" Moe's voice sounded, Ichigo froze and her face dropped. She spun around to see Miwa, Moe and she recognised Ai and Shiro, fans of Sho and Waburi on the kendo team. Ichigo ran over to them and moaned.

"Did you come here for cake or to abuse me?" She asked them, the girls giggled loudly, answering Ichigo's question, "What do you want?" She groaned

"What kind of service is that?" Miwa teased her before the girls told her their orders.

"Are you friends of Ichigo Onee-chan na no da?" Pudding asked as she came over twirling a tray around, a flask of water twirling around as well. Ichigo's face dropped, imaging the flask shattering all over the floor, and she tried to grab the glass jug however Pudding slid it onto Miwa's table perfectly causing Ichigo's classmates staring at the young girl.

"That was amazing!" Shiro said, clapping. Ai pulled out some change and gave it to Pudding.

"You know this little cutie! She is so cool!" Miwa cried as she introduced herself to Pudding and introduced everyone on the tbale

'She's making more money here even," Ichigo thought as Pudding pocketed the money before she turned around anf yelled.

"Everyone! Ichigo Onee-chan's friends are over here na no da!" Pudding called out, gathering the Mews and Hitomi. The girls all introduced themselves and they casually talked before the café became extremely busy. Pudding pulled up her large ball and began to perform in the middle of the café.

"I guess thanks to Pudding-san, we might become even more popular," Lettuce said as she passed Ichigo.

"More popularity means more work though…" Ichigo pointed out, "I guess that means I have to work even harder… Geez…". Mint managed the cash register and slumped over on the counter. She listened into Moe and Miwa's conversation before her interested picked up.

"I heard that too! Apparently it happened before the zoo incident," Ai said, brushing back her deep, reddish pink hair, "Five casualties weren't there? All mauled to death, how horrible…" Mint's heart sunk at that, she felt sick as it hit her. She froze up as Ryou walked out of the kitchen to see Mint's dejected and dark face.

"What's up?" He asked her as he approached her.

"People died…" She murmured, "At the zoo…"

"It is going to happen unfortunately…" He murmured and patted her arm softly, "Unfortunately not everyone can be saved, at least not they are at peace…" Ryou said. Mint nodded slowly as Ryou stared down at her. He sighed quietly before he walked off, images of fire blazing and burning in front of him appearing.

'Unfortunately… We can't spare everyone…' He thought.

"Yeah, they found a playground in shreds, as if attacked by a large monster!" Miwa said, flipping through a magazine and turning to a page full of dark photos. Mint sighed walked over, pretending to be busy with something and glanced over at the page.

'I fought there with Mew Lettuce against the giant beetle Anima,' Mint realised, she glanced across the page to a blurred and dark image of a figure with large ears and a tail however a bush was in the way of most of the photo.

"They say they're aliens or some other race is making a terrorist attack on us," Shiro added.

"No way! It has to be superheroes! You've heard about those stories of Sailor Moon right, we could be in danger and some heroes have risen up to protect us!" Moe declared before Shiro shook her head.

"Think logically Moe-chan!" She said however Mint's face dropped.

'They are already onto us… We have to try to keep this under wraps for as long as we can. After the zoo incident, what else will the aliens pull?'

* * *

"Where did he go?" Lettuce mused aloud as she walked out of the library. She walked by many people, thankfully they didn't look at her like they did before with pity heavy in their gaze. 'That whole thing in the classroom has been forgotten it looks like, probably because of Otachi-kun, they have something else a lot more interesting now to gape at,' Lettuce thought as she approached the stairwell that lead to the roof to hear the bitchy voice of Aya Abe-san float down. 'She's here!' Lettuce stopped dead and crept to the stairwell and gazed up at the open door leading to the roof.

"Eat it! You're a dog right?" Aya hissed.

"I'm not, I'm only part dog…" The whimpering voice of Otachi sounded. Lettuce rushed up the stairs as quietly as she could and peaked through the opened door to find the three girls looming over Otachi who was on the concrete roof on his knees. His tail was drooped down, laying against the cold gray roof of the school and he looked dejectedly down at a silver dog bowl in front of him. Lettuce's heart skipped sickly as his rusty eyes started to water over, he gazed up at them with wide eyes to see their harsh expression. Aya rested her hands on her exposed hips, her skirt now so short that if it fell any lower then everything would be exposed. Rika Yamaro's shoulders and head were slumped over, the reddish orange hair covering most of her face. She stared sightlessly down as her fingers pulled down on her brown jacket. Yuri Jibae stood closer to Aya, looking down cruelly at Otachi as he fumbled with his sleeves.

"Eat it!" Yuri Jibae said, pointing a thin finger down at the silver dog bowl in front of them, it was filled to the brim with dried dog food, Otachi bit his lip to prevent tears from sliding down his face as he took a deep breath. Lettuce watched the scene before the thought came into her head.

'That was me a little while ago… Why didn't I see it as bullying? Why didn't anyone do what I'm about to do?' Lettuce thought.

"Aww, Puppy is gonna cry?" Aya taunted as Lettuce stepped out through the door.

"What's wrong with crying Abe-san?" Lettuce called out, she took a breath and held it, hoping it would prevent her heart from thundering in her chest. The three girls stopped and spun around to find the girl haired girl standing in front of them.

"L-l-l-lettuce? No, I thought you were dead…" Aya stuttered her eyes wide, Yuri clutched Aya's arm as they stood in front of Lettuce like wild rabbits in front of a speeding car, starting into the bright headlights. Rika's eyes lit up slightly, as if a large weight was lifted from her from the sight of Lettuce. Otachi's rusty eyes lit up as they laid on his saviour Lettuce and his tail began to wag happily.

"I don't know what you are talking about Abe-san, you must have a hazy memory of that night," Lettuce replied, her eyes not faltering as the three girls stared at her, "I see that you believed it to the extent that you have found someone to replace me," Lettuce continued. She forced her knees to move forward however they just wanted to lock into place or knock together as energy began to buzz around in her body, pent up and needing a release of some kind. Aya's lips trembled as Lettuce walked by her, her body ridged before her she exploded in adrenaline and her brain commanded her to bolt. She scrambled towards the door, her lanky legs moving quickly, her arms flailing around as she made a strange wail of shock. Yuri followed her, less terrified at the sight of Lettuce however loyally followed the she-devil.

"Wait! Aya!" She called out as they disappeared down the stairs.

"You are alive, thank god…" Rika Yamaro breathed before she followed the other two, casting glances of disbelief over at Lettuce. Lettuce moved the dog dish out of the way, spilling the food around before she fell to the ground, her body quivering excessively as her adrenaline was released and causing tremors through her whole body.

"Midorikawa-san! Are you okay? Why did they think you were d-"

"Sorry but Lettuce… Call me Lettuce please… That was the hardest thing to do in my whole life…" Lettuce breathed to avoid his last question, Otachi looked over her as panic rose up his throat. He moved his fingers around as his gaze darted around.

"What do I do? What do I do? Lettuce… You're not okay! Umm.. Ar…" He jumped up to his feet and began to jump around however giggling broke out. Otachi turned around to find Lettuce's quivering lips in a large smile as she began to laugh to herself.

"Hahahaha, no, no I'm fine Otachi-kun… hahahaha, It just feels so good right now, to be away from them," She explained through giggles, "I just can't stop! Hahaha," Otachi looked back with a confused face before he shook himself like a dog, ridding himself of worry like Lettuce laughing it off.

"Ok," He simply replied as he reached out his hand and helped haul Lettuce up. Lettuce was surprised at how light Otachi felt compared to her however, he only reached up to her chin anyway. She smiled at him warmly and began to walk back to the stairwell.

"I'm glad I have a friend like you Otachi-kun," She said, Otachi's tail picked up and he looked at her with large eyes. He approached her cautiously like a shocked canine and looked at her with staring eyes.

"So… we… we're friends?" He echoed, Lettuce nodded at him and smiled. Otachi's lips quivered and his eyes watered over while he sniffed loudly. Lettuce blinked in confusion as Otachi began to cry, "I'm sorry Lettuce I lied to you… I've been lying to everyone!" He sobbed as Lettuce looked at him seriously, "I'm only thirteen!" He cried as Lettuce sighed.

* * *

Night rained down over Tokyo, casting the city into artificial light that buzzed around all night long. However, north of the city was a suburb blanketed in darkness, not a light flickered on as large buildings were left deserted, alone in the moonless night. No one dared come close to the building, heavy security and locks surrounding the area, securing the library that sat inside. However, it held something else greater that intrigued a young figure that floated over the sky, a Para Para flying beside her as golden eyes glanced around to check that no one was observing a flying figure luckily for her, the suburb lay in quiet darkness. She dropped onto the flat roof of the library, glancing around before she swung her brown bag onto the ground, she dropped down beside it and pulled out her journal and pen. Paru floated around her as she began to write on the next page.

'_I have continued my mission, my personal mission and I have found something that has been frequent in human history, no all histories of every races that is labeled in the Galactic Alliance's files… Dictators have been known for one thing, erasing history. I couldn't believe this to be true yet in some places the dictator has so much control that he dictates what they read, what they hear and watch and if anything he doesn't like happens… Deal with it and it never happened. I honestly cannot believe that one person can get that much control… Yet, I wonder, could the same happen to us? Has it happened to us before? I have blank pages in my history book, history is missing… As if nothing happened at all. _

_I found an interesting book about this, called 1984 and it covers this issue so many times… What is history? Show me history… This made me think, something has happened that we neglect to acknowledge its existence. Something is missing! Yet there was another issue that novel brought up, rewriting history… wiping out the history before and lying about it. It is like that phrase, Lie so much it becomes the truth I think it is, I wonder if that has happened with us? However, for some reason, perhaps it's due to our people's hatred for humans, but I believe that someone has rewritten this planet's history! Even if we weren't here when they colonised this planet yet why haven't they found ruins of our civilisation before it? Why isn't my species known about? Either they truly do not know or someone is controlling this planet's system. They don't want to know that we were here once… why is that?_' She paused and shook her hand, each muscle tissue in her hand beginning to ache from her excessive writing. She looked at Paru and nuzzled her little smart companion, its cool yet slimy texture felt nice over her skin.

"Something is messed around, isn't Paru?" She said aloud and Paru agreed by nodding its body up and down, making little electronic clicking noises as well.

'_These warriors that Kish keeps talking about… Mews he called them… I have searched through my book and discovered something about our history and why we keep getting reports of used technology… However, I have yet to tell them this information. I for myself what to be sure before I tell anyone and yet, I have a strange feelings about Sasujiro and Kish… Kish is getting obsessed with one of them… Mew Ichigo he said is her name… I don't think its healthy, it isn't one bit yet he is fighting them for our sake. I believe he shouldn't get too involved or something bad might happen and that is the last thing we need to happen to a loyal warrior of Deep Blue… _

_Sasujiro on the other hand… There isn't something right about him, something is odd about him and the way he acts. He is smart, no doubt about that but I get a feeling that he is planning something. The way he treats me isn't too good either, he'll order me to do things and always checks up on me, as if checking to see if I'm loyal to our kind…_' Keeki dropped the book and slapped herself.

"I'm turning this into a bloody diary! I may as well write a damn diary!" She hissed quietly. She groaned and continued to write.

'_Tonight I'm breaking into the National Library to collect more information. Every book should say the same thing and I'll check to see who wrote it. That will give me an indicator whether history has been rewritten on this planet. Soon we'll be returning home for a little while so while there, I'll check out our history books and see if I can understand this blank void of history. I know I shouldn't do this, if I am caught, everyone on this planet will know about us… Yet I'm confident in my abilities. Yet, if I am caught, I'll take this journal with me so they can read it and understand what troubles we face. We are all creatures that lived on the same planet, they should be caring people_,' She closed the book and put it in the bag before she pulled out a round black ball.

"Ready Paru?" She asked her companion that twirled around. Keeki smiled and stood up, hauling the bag over her shoulder. She pressed a button on the top of the ball and it began to flicker with light.

* * *

**Zoey Hoshi**: I am sick of 1984, I really am, I studied it for a year but its still a good book and this is way of honouring this book.

**Ryou**: Where is history? Show me history!

**Zoey Hoshi**: (Pull out history book) Right here! Also please post review if you want this to be on YouTube!


	24. Shaking in red… To the edge of the Dream

**Author's Note**: In honour of Steve Jobs, who earlier today passed away. Thank you for all of your inspiring stories you have told the world. I can honestly say that you helped me a lot in times when I was frantic about the future. Thank you also for creating the beautiful Apple products that I use. You have left a legacy behind you that will linger in the world for many, many years. You are Apple.

**R.I.P Steve Jobs 1955-2011**

**Note:** I am Australian, and we have alternative ways of spelling certain words from America. Eg. Mum/Mom, -ise/-ize etc.

I know it is a major pain to do this, but please leave comments/reviews etc. because it **really** does cheer me up, knowing that this story is actually read and liked by people. **Thank you and sorry for all this!**

**~Translation Note~**

In case any one was wondering, Onee-chan/Ane-chan means the same thing however Onee is a lot more respectful and you would use it when talking to your Big Sister/Big Sister Figure and Ane is not as respectful and you use it when talking to others. So Pudding is giving everyone respect and talks as if they are her family while Hitomi uses it for Mint since she sees her as a sister figure however, doesn't give as much respect as Pudding does.

* * *

**Chapter 24: Shaking in red… To the edge of the Dream…**

A tall boy with flowing brown hair walked down the street, the tips of his hair dyed red as if his hair was bleeding. He held onto his shoulder school bag while the other hand was casually sitting in his pocket. A few schoolgirls shot a few glances at him before they continued off to school. He was used to this now, the feeling of people gawking at him and staring at him with amazed eyes. He grinned to himself as he thought about it. It would never get old, he loved it.

He finally approached the sandstone church, the beautiful sunlight breaking through the stained glass windows however he stopped dead as he found the wooden door to the church open. He rushed up the steps and peaked inside. His thoughts heated up as he wondered if a delinquent gang had broken in and ruined the beautiful church that was built many hundred years ago. However his horrible, angry thoughts stopped dead as he saw an unconscious girl in front of the alter, her body curled up with her limbs splaying out in front of her. Her long purple hair washed over her exposed shoulders and on the musky, old red carpet.

"Zakuro! Zakuro!" Calum called out, throwing his bag on the ground and approached the girl. He dropped down to her to find her in a simple black undershirt and grey short shorts, almost like pyjamas. Her skin was dirty and slightly scratched as if she had ran through bushes in a rush. He lightly rocked her back and forth until her eyes flickered open, "Zakuro! Are you okay?" He asked her but Zakuro jumped up and away from him in a nanosecond as her eyes darted around.

"What? Why am I here?" Zakuro huffed as Calum looked up at her.

"That's my line Zakuro," Calum said as he approached her slowly, "Are you okay? You don't look good at all," Zakuro looked at her senpai before she sat herself down.

"I don't know… I don't know what I did!" Her voice was taut with panic and she looked up at the older male in front of her and she lowered her head moderately as he approached her. He grabbed her hand and pulled her up as her heart began to calm down, her blood slowing in her veins. Calum could pick up her frantic heartbeat through her skin and how her eyes shifted around. It wasn't like the cool headed Zakuro.

"Come on, I'll take you back to my place and fix you up," Calum said. Zakuro's eyes hardened on his and she went to open her mouth.

'Why not my place? It's closer,' She wanted to say yet nothing came out, just her breath as a command ran down her spine, controlling her body.

'_Higher male, must obey_,'

"Okay," She said breathlessly as Calum helped her out of the church. He reached his arm around her shoulder and pushed her body to his. She moved her head away from him as he did this, her nerves crawling as glances were cast onto her.

'This is so humiliating…' She thought as Calum took her to his two story, brick Western style house. Zakuro could tell no one was home, every room laying in silence and it lacked scents of Calum's pack members. 'Pack members? Higher male? Argh! What is happening to me!' Zakuro gripped her forehead as she padded into his house in front of Calum. Calum's face dropped as Zakuro hissed to herself and shook her messy hair around.

"Where is your bathroom? I want to take a shower…" Zakuro asked. Calum grabbed her hand and led her through the house to the blue tiled Western style bathroom. His hand squeezed hers tightly before he let it go and showed her where to put her clothes, where the towels were and other things she may want to know. "What will I do for clothes?" Zakuro asked him, "I can't lay in this house naked and wait for my clothes to get washed," She mumbled as Calum smirked at her.

"I wouldn't mind that, I would be the envy of every man and perhaps woman in the world," He snickered, leaning back on the doorway. Zakuro shot him a warning glance however it was met by a charming wink.

That did it.

Zakuro clenched her fist and punched the tall male outside the door before she slammed the door behind her.

"You damn perverted Senpai!" She groaned back. She began to change out of her clothes and she could still tell that he was sitting outside the door, watching it.

"I'm glad you're a little back to your normal self. I've got a little sister about your age, I'll find something for you and put it out here," Calum replied to her after a long period of time. Zakuro froze as his words hit her.

'He was doing that just for me?' Zakuro thought before she heard Calum stand up.

"I'll be in the living room, just take it easy," He said and he walked away. Zakuro furrowed her brow and quickly jumped into the shower, her hands ran over her skin, over the mysterious bruises and cuts while hot water trickled over her skin.

'I don't get it, something has happened! What the hell is it!' She sighed as she massaged her scalp with shampoo. She gave up on it and finished her shower while her mind buzzed. She dried herself and opened the door enough to pick up the long sleeve shirt and denim skirt. She walked out the door, her towel hanging off her shoulders, encasing her damp hair and made her way to the living room where Calum was just strumming on an acoustic guitar. He glanced up at her as she walked in before he looked down again and continued strumming. Zakuro sat down beside him and just listened for a while until stopped and turned to her.

"What's wrong?" He asked her, "What has happened?"

"What do you mean?" Zakuro asked, lazing back on the white lounge.

"You haven't been yourself lately," Calum pointed out, "You have been going along with a lot of things I say without one word,"

"That's because…" Zakuro started before she glanced away, "I really don't know…" However Zakuro could see that Calum wasn't going to swallow just that. "I really don't know! I'm really confused! Last night, I started to have bad thoughts again towards my…" She paused on the word before she skipped over it and continued, "I was going to visit the church to clear my mind of my thoughts and I went outside and I can't remember if I got there or not…" She explained.

"Perhaps when you got there you fell asleep, you forget the last few minutes before you fall asleep. Maybe that's what happened?" Calum put forward. Zakuro ran a hand through her damp hair and sighed.

"Also… to be honest, I had a dream… I've had a few dreams and they are about the same thing. It's just me running through the quiet streets of Tokyo and through the parks. The sensation of the wind passing me as I run across the grass and the night pouring onto me. It's always that dream…" Zakuro explained. She glanced at Calum as he scratched his head and smiled at her.

"Maybe your just going crazy," he laughed at her. Zakuro pouted and kicked his shin lightly.

'I'm JUST fine!' She thought to herself as she snorted at Calum who continued to carry on and on, acting as if in pain.

* * *

"Welcome to Café Mew Mew, would you like a table for three?" Lettuce bowed to the group of girls and then led them to their table. Ichigo placed an order down and watched Lettuce with large pink eyes. Lettuce had a soft smile on her lips and she had more of a bounce in her step. Ichigo padded up to her after she showed the group of girls their table.

"Hey Lettuce, what's happened to our little shy one?" Ichigo asked softly. Lettuce looked at her before her heart began to pound.

"Is it obvious? Agh! Ah! Um, nothing! Nothing much as happened!" Lettuce bumbled as Pudding rolled by on a large ball, balancing an order on her index finger, "Pudding-san! Please don't do that!" Lettuce begged however Pudding just gave her a cheeky smile and continued on to table seven. She slammed the order down a little too harshly yet the dumbstruck customers that gawked at her didn't notice at all. Pudding smiled as she rolled back over and slid off the ball.

"Pudding has noticed that Lettuce Onee-chan as been super happy na no da! What happened na no da?" Pudding asked as Ichigo grinned at her.

"See! We know something is up, tell us! Perhaps is it a guy?" Ichigo asked as Lettuce shook her head as an embarrassed blush broke down across her face, "Is it?" Ichigo pushed as Pudding pulled out an orange candy the size of a gobstopper from a mysterious pocket.

"Give him this and he'll forever be yours, It has been passed down in Pudding's family na no da. However side effect include vomiting at the sight of baby kittens and bad bowl movements after consuming pancakes na no da," Pudding continued to list a few strange side effects however Lettuce shook her head.

"It isn't a boy! I just- I-I just stopped hanging around the bullies and stopped them from coming near me again…." Lettuce told them, "See nothing special!" She said however Ichigo wrapped her arms around her shy friend and Pudding jumped in, her arms crushing Lettuce's rib cage as Pudding used the strength that constantly ran through her body. "P-p-pudding-sssan! Don't crushhh me!" Lettuce pleaded and the two girls pulled away.

"We have to eat extra more after we close to celebrate!" Pudding cheered and Ichigo nodded.

"Celebrate with your nakama!" Ichigo laughed when Ryou walked by them.

"Very good but," Ryou then smacked his hand over the back of Ichigo's straightened pink hair, pain searing on the back of her head, "Don't ignore customers!" Ryou said. Ichigo's throat rumbled and she bared her teeth.

"Shi-ro-ga-ne!" She hissed as Pudding jumped off to tend to the patiently waiting customers. Lettuce held up her hands to remind Ichigo to cool down, her gaze flashed at Lettuce and back to Ryou. He smirked down at the flustered kitten, he could sense the anger emitting from her, if there was no one around she would surely attack him, "Lucky that customers and Lettuce is hear to save you," Ichigo mumbled as she walked off, "Aoyama-kun is so much nicer…" She said aloud and Ryou's hearing easily picked it up. Ryou's hair stood on edge and he glared at her however he bit his lip to prevent a genetic wardrobe malfunction. He looked down at the jade haired girl as a happy aura came off her, unlike that night when nothing but a heavy, dark depression covered her.

"Good job Lettuce," He smiled at her, patting her gently on her head before he walked off. Lettuce heart jumped a little and she raised her hand up to feel where he patted her before she continued working.

Evening washed over the park and the last customer shuffled out of the pink brick café. Mint continued to sweep the floor while Hitomi washed up. Ichigo looked at Mint whose blue eyes were looking down at the floor with a harsh expression. She approached her and looked at her gently.

"Mint, is there something wrong?" Ichigo asked, Mint looked up at her, the harshness snapped away for a second before the proud blaze of Mint Aizawa flared up.

"I'm just fine thank you loved dazed Ichigo," Mint huffed and walked away. Ichigo's feelings of anger and confusion clashed together, making her blood boil yet a mist was shrouded over her. Ichigo walked into the kitchen to find the blonde haired girl.

'Perfect, she might know,' Ichigo thought and she placed her plates down.

"Hitomi… What's wrong with Mint?" Ichigo asked her. Hitomi took the dirty plate and sighed.

"Well, her brother is going overseas to study," Hitomi replied.

"Oh… That would explain a lot… I don't have any siblings but I can imagine how hard it must be," Ichigo sighed but Hitomi shook her head.

"That's not all. Siblings are quiet competitive in high class families… In Mint's family, she is the lesser sibling, living in her brother's shadow. Her father, mother and brother do not appreciate her and its getting to Mint. You can imagine it right? She is smart, talented in Ballet and now she is a superhero and her family does not even bat an eye at her. It's starting to get to Mint I think…" Hitomi explained. Ichigo sighed and slumped against the counter.

"I couldn't stand being in a high family like that…" Ichigo sighed.

"I can't… Mother is so strict… If daddy wasn't around and the main money-maker I wouldn't be able to get here. I would be stuck in my room, slaving over homework while my mother talked about why I should get better at Ballet," Hitomi ranted, scrubbing the dishes more roughly. Ichigo patted her shoulder to calm her down and snap her out of it. Hitomi sighed and pulled her hands out of the bubbly water, "We should watch Mint closely, she might snap one day…" Hitomi pointed out. Ichigo sighed before the sound of yelping came out of the came from the main room and then the shattering of plates.

"Pudding-san! Are you okay?" Lettuce wailed.

"Yeah, who waxed the floor na no da?" Pudding pouted while Ichigo watched Keiichiro creep by the door to the main room, his face dropped due to guilt. Ichigo walked out of the kitchen, Pudding and Lettuce were picking up the plate shards as Pudding's large white and red ball bounced by her. Ichigo picked up a broom and dustpan and joined in cleaning up the broken plates and teapot. Mint was just staring out of the window up at the darkening sky.

"Ichigo-san, what's wrong with Mint-san?" Lettuce whispered. Ichigo grabbed Lettuce and Pudding wrists and dragged them into the hall, away from Mint's hearing range.

"I've got a bad feeling about Mint… and I have a plan to prevent something bad from happing…" Ichigo told them.

* * *

Mint's eyes scanned through the pages of an internet site. Up the top was the title, 'Animal Symbolism throughout history,' Mint finally reached a page labeled 'Insects' and she found the animal that she was looking for.

'Wasps… Female Warrior Energy and Sisterhood… I don't have a sister though... Female Warriors… could that be us? The Mew Mews? The aliens call us Warriors so that might be about us then? Sisterhood… Does the wasp symbolise the other girls? Then stinging me… What does that mean….?' She thought as her dream played through her head. 'An hourglass… That often represents time doesn't it… The future? This time? The spider web… Spiders… What do they represent…? Fear maybe and the cougar…' Mint groaned and rested her head on her arms, her curly hair flicking around her pale cheeks. Mickey whimpered from the ground, he continued to walk around her feet, his long hair brushing softly against her bare feet. Mint sighed and pushed the chair away from her desk. She bent over and picked up Mickey, who licked her cheek in return.

"I gotta cool my head Mickey," She told her puppy and she walked out of the private study and continued down the hall when a familiar voice piped up.

"Please let us in, we are friends of Mint," Ichigo's voice sounded, her voice was strained as if she had been pleading for a while.

"Let us see Mint Onee-chan na no da!" Pudding called out.

"Just call Mint-san down and she'll tell you that we are her friends," Lettuce joined politely.

"My little sister may be very different from my father and I however she would never stoop to this level to make friends," Seiji's stern voice sounded. Silence fell over the girls before a new voice spoke up.

"Like you would know who Mint Ane-chan's friends are anyway…" Hitomi pointed out flatly. Seiji grew silent for a second, Mint held Mickey tighter as her upper body grew taut and her heart fluttered in her chest.

"Yeah! You don't know how much of an important friend Mint is to us! Mint came down to 'our level' to escape your level," Ichigo hissed.

"Wait… You're the Miyarumi girl… New Money huh?" Seiji pointed out. Mint dropped Mickey down and rushed to the front door, "So it looks like Mint disregarded what our father taught us. You have a lot of guts coming around here, my father doesn't think New Money are acceptable members of the high class society,"

"Don't think I already know that?" Hitomi huffed.

"You must be used to it, the way they stare at you and put you down. I'm guessing your only used to it somewhat now," Seiji mused aloud.

"Yes, however talking to you reminds me why I wish my father didn't get rich. I never had to put up with your kind before hand," Hitomi hissed.

"Ah… Is that so? I think we don't have any business anymore, please leave or I will cal-"

"Let Pudding through na no da!" Pudding yelled, her leg muscles bunching up as she prepared to jump up the porch to the front doors of the house.

"Pudding! Don't!" Ichigo cried out, grabbing her and holding her back as Pudding struggled to get by.

"We have to help Mint Onee-chan though na no da! She need our help, we are her Nakama! We are her family na no da!" Pudding cried out.

"Enough! Please leave now or-"

"MINT ANE-CHAN! DON'T!" Hitomi screamed as a surge of blue energy lit up behind Seiji. It flickered with boiling rage, creating a blockade to prevent any logical thought from appearing in Mint's mind. The front door busted open violently to reveal the miss of the household, her pupils contracted to a pin, her iris's flickering with anger and betrayal. Her blue bird wings were folded and were standing up in an irritated manner. Her matching blue tail was poking out the top of her long skirt and was fluttered out. Seiji turned around, his mouth gaping open as Mint approaching him in a hopping gait, swaying her body around as her hair and feathers stood up.

"Lorikeets do that when they are giving a warning or trying to pick a fight…" Hitomi blubbered. Ichigo gasped and turned to look at Mint whose mind was almost completely controlled by her lorikeet DNA.

'We're to late… Mint has snapped…" Ichigo thought hopelessly as Mint glared at her brother who stumbled back.

"Mint! Mint! What's happened to you! What happened?" He asked quickly as alarm ran up his gut.

"What happened?" Mint echoed and she broke into laughter that was disturbed by low pitch chirping. "Maybe if you didn't ignore me I would've told you… Pity those days went by so quickly… However, you became too important for you little sister, such a shame…" Mint continued as rage took over her. She pulled the yellow pendant from her pocket and kissed it.

"DON'T MINT!" Ichigo yelled, racing up the steps to her friend.

"Mew Mew Mint Metamorphosis!" Mint screamed, trigging the transformation. Ichigo's small frame as forced back by the burst of blue energy and light that surrounded Mint as her battle outfit appeared on her. Mew Mint appeared and she looked down at her brother and smirked, "I am Mew Mint, I am a warrior of this planet and I risk my life to save yours… I am important! Mint Arrow!" Mew Mint summoned her blue harp bow and arrow and pointed it at Seiji who was on the ground.

"DON'T!" Ichigo screamed and ran up to Mew Mint. She slapped the Mint Arrow out of her hands and wrapped her arms around the blue Mew, "Don't do this!" Ichigo pleaded. Mew Mint gazed down at her as Lettuce ran up to Seiji and helped him to his feet. She pulled him off the porch as Mew Mint pushed Ichigo away, Ichigo felt her soles slip on the first step. She felt herself fall down the steps and thankfully her Yamaneko DNA started her twist, pivoting her body around and slamming her feet onto the ground. Mew Mint flapped her winds and flew over to her Mint Arrow, picking it before flying higher into the sky.

"Hitomi-san! What's happening?" Lettuce cried as Seiji watched his former little sister aim for him. Hitomi looked up at Mint and turned back to Lettuce.

"Lorikeets can easily get worked up, I guess right now Mint Ane-chan has an adrenaline rush as well so it'll take a lot to calm her down now! Mew Mint is really worked up due to both DNA's body systems and we have to use up that energy to calm her down!" Hitomi explained.

"How do we do that na no da?" Pudding asked, Hitomi shook her head and took a heavy breath.

"Fight her," Hitomi said. Pudding nodded and transformed but Ichigo stood their shocked as Pudding was covered by brilliant yellow light.

"What? No! I don't want to! She is our friend!" Ichigo whimpered however Hitomi's red and green eyes stared at her hard, not faltering. "Mew Mew Strawberry Metamorphosis!" Ichigo gave up and transformed and Lettuce followed. Seiji watched on, his dull, gray-dark brown eyes watching on in utter befuddlement.

"What are you!" He asked, scrambling back.

"Mew Mews," Mew Ichigo said, "Strawberry Bell! Enough of that, calm Mint down!" She hissed at him.

"What? How?" Seiji asked the pink Mew in front of him. Mew Ichigo growled and turned back to the furious Mew Mint.

'Doesn't he realised he could die right now?' She thought, her tail flicking around quickly.

"Remember those days Onii-sama? When you watch my ballet?" Mew Mint yelled aloud as she released her Mint Echo.

"Ribbon Pudding Ring Inferno!" Mew Pudding threw the two rings of light over Seiji, forming a protective jelly barrier around him. The blue Mint Echo dug into it and melted away.

"Mew Mint! I'm sorry for this… Ribbon Lettuce Shaft," Mew Lettuce closed her eyes and created a pillar of water straight for Mew Mint. She jumped in the shaft of water and was propelled straight for the hysterical blue Mew Mew. The water encased Mew Mint, soaking her feathers and ripping away her ability to fly. Mew Lettuce wrapped her arms around her and she ended the Lettuce Shaft, the water pouring to the ground. It seeped into the dirt, mixing with the soil to create a flooded, muddy ground. Mew Pudding threw another Ring Inferno below them so the two Mews hit the top of it, preventing them from snapping painfully into the mud. Mew Ichigo ripped apart the Ring Inferno that Seiji was stuck in, allowing him to move about.

"You're her brother, I'm sorry for saying those things to you but you must still love your sister right?" Mew Ichigo pleaded with the flustered Seiji. He just stared blankly at her, Mew Ichigo hissed in annoyance, her ears flattening and she turned to see Mew Mint bounce of the Ring Inferno, the ripple from the rebound sending Mew Lettuce off and into the mud. Mew Lettuce cringed as the mud stuck to her right side, slowly sliding down her curves as she stood up. Mew Mint touched down, her pupils contracted as she spun to Mew Lettuce.

"Ribbon Mint Gatling!" She yelled, pointed a bombardment of little arrows at Mew Lettuce. Mew Lettuce stumbled back before images of previous battles flashed through her mind.

"Ribbon Lettuce Rush!" She yelled, pointing her Lettuce Castanets towards Mint. The blades of water broke some of the arrows, Mew Lettuce shielded her eyes as remaining arrows sliced by at her, she bit her lips as it seared at her skin, nibbling in her flesh however she kept her knees locked in place. "I'm always running away, running back from the main problem. The others would protect me but I'm the oldest here, I'm the oldest Mew Mew, I have to keep at it," She mumbled aloud to herself. Mew Mint screeched as some razors of the Lettuce Rush hit her, she stumbled back from the attack to see Mew Lettuce still standing there, her outfit a little tattered, much like Mew Mint but standing tall. Mew Mint hissed and turned back to her brother who looked at her with horrified eyes.

"What have you been doing Mint?" He asked her, however his voice was barely a whisper. She pulled back her bow to prepare a Mint Echo however Mew Ichigo pulled up her Strawberry Bell.

"Ribbon Strawberry Check!" She yelled, aiming a beam of light towards her hand. Mew Mint hissed as the pain stabbed at her left hand, she let go of the bow, letting the Mint Echo loose. Mew Pudding kicked her foot around to smack the echo way, sending the blue arrow at the wall. Her foot burned slightly from it but she shook it off and slipped the Pudding Ring around her wrist. She twirled her wrist around, two rings of light floating up from the Pudding Ring until it hovered above her hand and formed a solid disk.

"Ribbon Pudding Coin!" She yelled and threw the Pudding Coin towards the Mint Arrow. It hit the harp shaped arrow perfectly, sending it across the Aizawa front yard. Mew Mint dived for her Mint Arrow however Hitomi picked it up and pulled the bow back however all Mews stared in confusion when it started to react, started to power up.

"How…?" Mew Lettuce said their thoughts aloud, "Shirogane-san and Akasaka-san can't use our weapons… We can only use them…" Hitomi's eyes widened as she felt the Mint Arrow's power surge throughout her. Her heart exploded with heat as Mew Mint just watched her, her pupils beginning to dilate.

'She calming down! She is distracted from her brother!' Hitomi released however her weak fingers let go as her legs gave out due to the incredible surge of power, a small white arrow shot into the heavens and disappeared into the dark evening sky. Seiji pushed himself up to his feet, his gaze sweeping over the battle harden girls that watched Mint with large eyes and then he stared at his little sister when her blue gaze rested on him. He took a gulp of air and walked out to her with his arms out, his head pointed down.

"Mint, if it makes you happy… Attack me, not your friends…" He mumbled. Mew Mint stood up, yanking the Mint Arrow from Hitomi's weak hands and she took a shooting pose, pulling back the Mint Arrow. Mew Ichigo rushed forward but Seiji pushed her back, "I can't bare watching this anymore…" He announced to her.

"Onii-sama, it's your fault… You went to father's side and now you hate me too! That's why I must do this, to show that I'm the superior sibling. Ribbon Mint Echo!" Mew Mint yelled and let the Mint Echo loose. Seiji prepared for it and let out his breath.

"I'm sorry my little sister…" He murmured before as the Mint Echo slammed into his upper stomach. He let out a groan, his arms wrapping around the blue arrow that was embedded into his gut, the heat and tearing vibrating through his body. Mew Ichigo rushed forward as Seiji's body slammed into the ground as Mew Mint watched the scene unfold, her pupils dilating to their normal size. She watched as Mew Pudding ran over and wrapped her hands around the Mint Echo and pulled it out, the light arrow dissipating in her grip. She ignored the pain as she looked over Seiji. Mew Mint stumbled towards her brother and Mew Lettuce helped up Hitomi before they walked over. Mew Mint collapsed to her knees beside her brother as he looked at her kindly.

"Why… What happened?" Mew Mint asked as her heart fluttered in her chest, her throat started to burn and tighten up as a patch of crimson seeped through his white shirt.

"I'm sorry… I am… I should have told you what I was doing this whole time but I thought you were still following father blindly like I once did. What a idiot I've been…" He breathed, "I'm sorry Mint, I'm sorry I've neglected you but I was trying… to be the best son for our father, to impress him yet the way he treated me and talked about you… It makes me sick to this day. I had to act the way he wanted me too to get into this school and that included ignoring you… Please forgive me sister," Seiji moaned as Pudding pressed down on his wound.

"Do you hate father too?" Mew Mint asked her brother, he nodded faintly as tears began to well in Mew Mint's blue gaze.

"I want to go overseas to learn how to overthrow him, to end his iron grip over our family. I should have told you instead of continue my façade. I'm sorry to all of you. Mews did you call yourselves? What happened to you all?" He asked weakly.

"It's a long story, but this planet is in a lot of trouble right now," Mew Pudding said smiling.

"We are in a bit of trouble, that fight wasn't under darkness and they are already onto us," Mew Ichigo dryly laughed and Seiji joined.

"They would not mind at all… Everyone loves superheroes…" Seiji said, "I'm sorry for doubting that you were Mint's friends… She just did the same as I before, follow our father's directions. I should've noticed she has disregarded his word a while ago. I'm sorry but I have a favour to ask you girls," He said as the girls surrounded him, "As proved right now, my sister can easily snap and she is delicate so when I'm gone for the next year, please look after her for me," He asked them as tears fell down her cheeks, "But I'll be back to see you perform Swan Lake," He chuckled as Mew Mint embraced her brother. He slowly hugged her back as the girls smiled happily, Mew Lettuce tearing up a bit.

"I wanna hug my brother now," She half laughed, half sobbed.

'At least my plan somewhat worked,' Ichigo thought to herself as she watched the two siblings make up, 'The method could have been better but the result is the main thing…'

* * *

"What are you up to Ryou?" Keiichiro asked as watched the footage that Masha sent back to them of the fight. Keiichiro put his cup of coffee down as Ryou was looking through protected cases of artifacts.

"Well, these were all found alongside Masha and the injection gun so these all must have something to do with the girls. Perhaps more weapons or some kind of assists…" He mused as he pulled out a cream coloured pendant shaped into a heart with a circle around it and two crystals hanging from. He looked it over before leaving it out. He continued through the cases before he came a large book, the cover larger than Ryou's chest. A layer of clumped soil remained stuck to it in places and strange, alien symbols covered it. Somehow the pages were still intact after all that time. He carefully put it aside and looked at the footage on the screen that Keiichiro was playing over and over.

"Hitomi-san… Strange huh?" Keiichiro mused as he sipped his coffee. Ryou shrugged and pulled out another artifact, a thin, cylindrical object, like a needle. A wave of uneasiness washed over Ryou as he analysed the objects. "I feel like I'm the only sane and normal person here right now…" Keiichiro chuckled to himself as Ryou stood up and walked to the door that led to the stairwell. "Where are you going Ryou?" The tall man asked as the blonde haired boy stopped and glanced over his shoulder.

"Going out for a run," Ryou said and he left the café. He slipped out of the back down and slunk to the side of Keiichiro's red car. "Arawareru, Midori Sukafu…" He said, the green scarf wrapped around his neck and he prepared as his body formed in a few seconds. The warmth of the transformation into Alto made him extremely relaxed until he took off, the winds rippling over his gray fur as he aimed for his large maple tree, excitement stirring up in his belly. The lush spring grass felt nice under his pads as he swiftly ran over the park and bounded up the incline until he launched himself into the tree. He unsheathed his claws and dug them into the trunk of the tree. He pulled himself up to the branches and jumped from branch to branch, aiming for the green surface of the leaves. He broke free of the sea of Maple and looked out over the park as night settled over it. He looked up at the stars that barely shined through and his mind was washed clean.

'Mother… Father… Are you proud of me?' He thought to the heavens above.

* * *

**Zoey Hoshi:** Another chapter! Also Vampire Knight Song for the title, now that's another Shoujo that angers me! I don't understand what is happening it that anymore. Anywho, My holidays are coming to an end soon so I'll try to pump as much as I can before Tuesday. Mint sure does lose control of emotions over people she adores doesn't she? She gets upset over Zakuro several times in the Anime.

**Mint:** Hey! I just… They mean a lot to me. You're the same as well!

**Zoey Hoshi:** I think we are all like that… Just you especially. All my alien and smut fans, your in for a treat next chapter!

**Lettuce:** Close your eyes Pudding-san.

**Zoey Hoshi:** All of you close your eyes, your to innocent to see what is gonna happen!


	25. Sexholm Syndrome

**Warning! ****If you aren't a fan of lime/lemon, SKIP THE SECOND PART OR THIS CHAPTER ENTIRELY!**

**Author's Note**: Okay, that's out of the way, and here we are, a chapter for the Kish and Alien fan girls. Not to mention my fellow fans of smut and lemons/limes, enjoy yourselves just not too much. Also, I'm sad to inform you that this will be my last chapter I release in the holidays. From now on, expect less chapters. I'm sorry but the education system tries to ruin your life in some form or manner sooner or later.

**Note:** I am Australian, and we have alternative ways of spelling certain words from America. Eg. Mum/Mom, -ise/-ize etc.

I know it is a major pain to do this, but please leave comments/reviews etc. because it **really** does cheer me up, knowing that this story is actually read and liked by people. **Thank you and sorry for all this!**

* * *

**Chapter 25: Sex-holm Syndrome**

"Where's Keeki-chan?" Kish asked as he blinked away sleep from his eyes, supporting himself against the wall of the ship as he stumbled out of the bedroom. Sasujiro threw the traditional white long trench coat over his normal outfit. He shrugged and pushed a few buttons, triggering the door of the ship to open. Thankfully the trip to their home world was only over a day away due to their advanced ships. Sasujiro pulled out Kish's old robe and gave it to Kish, who just have him a confused look, "You mean you left her on the planet?" Kish asked.

"I told her to be at the ship in time, I can't wait for her wandering mind to catch up to the present," Sasujiro groaned, "Anyway, she hates these meetings so I'm doing her a little favour," He explained as Kish pulled the white cloth over him.

"Sasujiro, the meeting is about to start," A voice crackled over the communicator.

"Coming," He replied as he walked to the open door of the ship. Kish watched him, his mind and curiousity buzzing before he followed him.

"But she wanted to get a few books on our history, she told me that…. What if she wants to see her family?" Kish asked as he caught up to the senior Kaerufan warrior.

"Don't you know? She's an orphan, Furaro gave her a place to live but she never knew her parents," Sasujiro said, Kish stopped for a second as his heart thudded.

'She is just like me… but I have an adoptive family at least…' Kish thought as the eternal blizzard of this planet roared into the cargo hold of the ship. 'I really had forgotten how cold this planet is…' He thought as his skin erupted in bumps, the chill of the snowflakes prickling through his skin as his feet trudged through the thick layer of snow that had already poured into the cavern. A few Kaerufans quickly pulled down some chains to close up the solid metal doors on the roof. Sasujiro made a few words with some Kaerufans before he motioned for Kish to follow him.

"So what exactly is this meeting about?" Kish asked as Sasujiro led him down some narrow tunnels that began to slope down. Kish rubbed his skin through the robe, the chill of the snow disappearing as he got used to the conditions he grew up in quickly.

"You'll see when you get there," Sasujiro told him as they came across a steep, small step staircase. Kish looked down it, the walls turned from an icy cold gray to a deep, tinted brown the deeper the tunnel went. Sasujiro walked down the steps, Kish following when he felt a hot draft started to wash over him. Sasujiro then took him to a seemly dead end, heat circling the two endlessly.

"Where are we?" Kish asked him, "Middle of this bloody 'frozen' planet?"

"The tunnels here belong to Lord Furaro and the greatest warriors of our race," Sasujiro explained as he brought his thumb to his mouth and began to steady his breath.

"What about everyone else? There are families dying of pneumonia up there! Why aren't they down here?" Kish demanded however Sasujiro just ignored him as he placed his thumb below his sharp canine teeth and without wavering he bit down on his thumb, not cringing at all as his tooth ripped through flesh and made a perfect puncture in his thumb. Kish stepped back in confusion, his eyebrow twitching at how he calmly pulled his bloody thumb out of his mouth and pressed it to an indent in the wall. It took a while however the wall pulled away to reveal a large cavern, Sasujiro swallowed the remaining metallic tasting blood that lingered in his mouth and walked inside, trashing his robes with Kish blankly following his actions.

The large, stadium size, circular cavern had several smaller tunnels spreading out of it to small, tiny caves, almost like little rooms. On a raised platform near the end of the room, standing on top was Furaro, looking over proudly at the assorted warriors below him. Kish looked around to see that most of the warriors were here, looking up at the black and deep crimson pink haired warrior in anticipation. The beautiful deadpan face of Purofittoro looked over as she sat at Furaro's feet, her pale green hair spilled onto the ground and down the steps. She was dressed in her bizarre and revealing outfit, Kish looked away from her almost exposed chest, feeling guilty at the stirred excitement that he began to feel. Sasujiro lead Kish to a spot in the crowd and eventually Furaro raised his hand for silence.

"My fellow warriors, thank you for arriving to our next meeting," Furaro started, everyone watching him in silence, "I have some excellent news, our brave, loyal warriors have returned from their mission to give us a report on their progress. Sasujiro and Kish, please tell us what you have found on _our_ planet," He heavy emphasised the world our and he pointed his arms out to Kish and Sasujiro. Kish flinched slightly as everyone turned to him however it was sort lived as the hopeful gazes of hundreds of other warriors like himself continued to pour on him, depending on him and respecting him. He smirked at his new-found recognition as Sausjiro stood tall beside him, proudly looking up at Furaro.

"Lord Furaro and my fellow warriors of Deep Blue. We have started the assault on the planet Aquisfera and to this point the humans haven't even located our position as we continue to attack them through the use of Para Parai," He was interrupted with snickering from fellow Kaerufans. Furaro smirked deviously at this remark. Sasujiro paused to let it sink in to the crowd.

"We have located the planet's resisting force as well," Kish continued for him, Sasujiro went to stop him but stood back and watched over him, "They seem to be separated from the planet's leaders, the world having no clue about them, doubting that this invasion has even started. This force is located around Aquis Tokyo City and they are in total, four warriors," Kish stopped as laughter howled through the area. Kish smirked at this power and how everyone listened to every word he had to say.

'Being a warrior isn't bad at all, I haven't found one negative yet,' Kish thought.

"Four? Four! You're fucking kidding!" A voice spoke up.

"Here we thought sending three warriors was too little!" Another yelled.

"However," Sasujiro interrupted them, "They are growing stronger by the minute, so we are inventing new tactics to tackle them with," With that, a roar of applause echoed around the area as well as chanting. Kish smiled deviously as his name was repeated around the area. Furaro smiled as he looked over them before raising his hand to silence the crowd.

"Excellent, your names will go down in history. You two are brave warriors that will save our race," Furaro said before his eyes settled on Kish only, "Kish, I knew you would be an excellent addition to our fight. Due to your brave acts and your loyalty I will explain something kept secret within the top warriors of our race. This," He swept his arms over the crowd, "The Movement Of Parai. We were the ones that bred Para Parai so they could be domesticated for our own purposes. Those are the Para Para that you yourself use in our battle to creating Chimera Anima. They are our main weapons we use and so, they, the Para Parai are leading us in a sense to our saviour Deep Blue. We are loyal warriors of Deep Blue that await to welcome is awakening. I am the leader of the Movement Of Parai and we believe in the use of tame Para Parai to achieve our mission and we believe in the creation of a pure blood-line of warriors that swear loyalty to Deep Blue. On the night of our two turning over to new moons, we celebrate our abilities and creation of our bloodlines. You are one of us now, welcome," Furaro explained. Kish eyebrow raised a bit as he glanced at Sasujiro.

'So, he is a part of a sect and Lord Furaro is a leader of a sect. No wonder they are so different from us and everyone calls him Lord…' Kish thought as Furaro looked over the crowd.

"Now, we celebrate under the two new moons," Furaro stated as the crowd broke up into cheering and everyone ran to a stone bench and grabbed a large stone carve bowl and ran to a strange hole in the ground. Kish followed Sausjiro, vacantly grabbing a bowl as he peered over the crowd. Sasujiro led him to the hole, warriors moving out of the way allowing Kish to see what everyone was filling their bowls with. Flowing swiftly under the rocky surface was a type of aqueduct, an underground river almost however the liquid inside was deep blue, almost to the point that it appeared as black against the dark brown rock. Kish copied the others around him, filling his bowl and walking away with Sasujiro. They found a place to sit down, leaning up against a wall and on a raised rock ledge and Kish stared at the liquid curiously.

"You didn't tell me you were part of a sect," Kish spoke up, Sasujiro took a sip of the liquid and looked at him.

"Sects are quiet infamous to be brainwashing, this is not like that. It's just something that gives warriors something to believe in during a dark time and help our race. I would rather be judged by what I do, not what I belong to," He finished.

"Well, that is fair enough," Kish said and pointed at the liquid, "What is this by the way?"

"Deep Water. It's a substance that Purofittoro found. It's like booze in a way," He said as he took another sip.

"Natural booze? You're joking aren't you?" Kish flashed him a skeptical face.

"Nope, give it a try," He said, pointing at Kish's bowl. Kish hesitated before he raised the bowl to his lips and let out a breath that rippled over the water before he took a tiny sip. A strange taste slammed into him, it left a tangy aftertaste on the top of his tongue and it had a harsh pungent scent however, it made him want more. He took another decent gulp, creating a chuckle of amusement from Sasujiro, "Told you it wasn't so bad," He laughed as Kish continued to drink it, "Don't over do it though, I don't want you to be hung over for tomorrow when eh return to Aquisfera," Sasujiro explained. Kish followed his words, drinking some occasionally and looked around at others, dueling or just chatting. It reminded him of his days growing up yet laughter and cheer was heavy in the atmosphere of the room, not compared to the dark and heavy one of his childhood. Kish easily started chatting with Sasujiro about their childhood and his past experiences and how it got into the Movement.

* * *

"Why doesn't Keeki-chan like coming here? This isn't bad at all," Kish asked, who was on his third bowl. He was cautious about overdoing it but addiction had let him slip a little. Sasujiro was drunk however still the intelligent Kaerufan as always. He began to smirk at something behind Kish.

"Because of this part," He said pointing to something behind Kish, Kish spun around however snapped back around as his heart fluttered. Sasujiro laughed at his reaction.

"Why are they doing that here?" He asked, glancing back over at a couple across the room. They were on the floor, a half naked male crouched over a naked female, her face twisted in pleasure as the male continued to fondle with her breasts, tweaking them and rolling his face around in them, enjoying the feeling of the beautiful soft skin.

"You heard Lord Furaro. The Movement Of Parai believes in a pure blood line of warriors so the second half of the celebration, couples and random warriors take place in copulation to create more warriors," Sasujiro said.

'Great… So in other words, they get smashed and then have an orgy all night. This sounds like a normal type of sect to me…' Kish grimaced as more warriors started, the sounds of moaning starting to fill the room. Sasujiro quickly drank the remainder of the Deep Water and stood up with a proud grin on his face.

"Anyway, I'm off to find Pastry-chan," He grinned, Kish considered asking who that was but he had a pretty good feeling who that was.

'A female warrior friend with benefits I guess… Trying to have children without love involved…' Something about that thought made Kish a little sick in the stomach. 'Everyone's turning into lustful dogs… May as well leave and wait for Sasujiro to… Well… Finish up I guess,' Kish thought as he picked himself up, drinking the bowl of Deep Water in a few seconds. He regretted it a little, his head swaying as the overload of Deep Water got to him. He shook his head and headed for the exit.

The smell of bodily fluids began to fill the area, to Kish's sane side, it repulsed him yet deep down, thanks to the liquor that was invading his blood, his heart pulsated with hot lust. 'No, I'm leaving… I have Mew Ichigo fo-' His thought trailed off as his eyes landed on a female figure. She was around Kish's age, moderately older perhaps and her dark strawberry coloured, fluffy hair sat passed her shoulders and she was wearing gray dress clung to her body. Kish watched her hips and behind that swayed hypnotically. 'Just like Mew Ichigo… Her hair is a little longer as not as bright and brilliant pink as Mew Ichigo…' He thought as he watched her body as she made for the exit. Her body had a curvaceous shape compared to the pink Mew Mew, her chest was incredible for some who looked so small and fragile, the black belt of material that was tied up under her bust made it more pronounced as well. Kish walked over to the door frantically and blocked it, preventing the girl from leaving.

"What the hell are you doing?" Sutoroberi hissed, her face staring harshly at Kish, her deep hazel eyes glinting with a fiery flare. Kish could imagine Mew Ichigo staring at him with her defiant pink eyes, like Sutoroberi in front of him. Sutoroberi was almost a mirror image of Ichigo except for a few features. Yet to the yowling testosterone that burned at Kish, she was perfect and murdered the reminders of control bit by bit, the alcohol assisting the hormones, as he looked at Sutoroberi with a devious smile which made her a little unnerved, causing her to shrink back. He could picture Mew Ichigo doing just that, her cute ears flatting to her head.

'She is just like Mew Ichigo!' He thought.

"Why are you running away from the party?" Kish asked as he started to herd her towards one of the small caves, his lust-ridden brain easily figuring out why they were there, to give privacy to any Kaerufans that were a proper couple or still had decency. Sutoroberi pressed herself up against a wall as Kish approached, that smile still on his lips as he pushed himself into her. His hormones jumped as his body crashed into hers, her large breasts crashing into his flat chest. He wrapped his arms around her body to smother her body into his. The flare in her eyes had been drowned out, Kish trembled as the sensation ran through him again. Kish felt his erection burn with need, twitching with excitement as it pressed up against her inner thigh.

'This girl… she acts, looks and acts just like that cute kitten… I think I found myself a new toy at home' Kish's drunkenly thought as he pressed his lips up to hers, eating of the warm that emitted from Sutoroberi's skin. Her heart jumped a little at the kiss, expecting him to skip this and just force himself on her but he was gentle right now. Kish imagined the taste of strawberry lingered on her lips and her short and fear-filled breath. Sutoroberi struggled against Kish however his hands locked around her wrists, her attempts of running away making the job of envisioning her as Mew Ichigo easier for Kish. She snapped her head away from the kiss and looked at him with fear yet there was another flame starting to burn deep in them.

"I don't want to throw away my v-" She paused as her blush exploded into a blush, even in this situation, "…Well, to a stranger…" She ended it, "So get off me!" She exclaimed as Kish leaned into her.

"You have never done this before?" Kish asked, his hot breath blowing over her face and down her neck, tickling her. She looked away from him in embarrassment and to prevent his lips from locking over hers again however this just made Kish want to devour her more. Her harsh fiery nature broke away much like Mew Ichigo to reveal the shy, cute virgin deep down, "Then this is going to be fun… Cause I haven't either," He smiled, "Give or take a few minutes," He said as he picked up Sutoroberi, her limbs flailing around as they got into the small cave. Kish set her down and spun around to the entrance of the cave and found a metallic door. Sutoroberi jumped up to make a run for the door however Kish had planned for it. He summoned his Sais and threw one at Sutoroberi, she dodged it perfectly since she was a warrior herself but it gave Kish time to close the door, trapping his pray in the room and he dropped the other Sai on the ground to look at his pray. Her heart hammered in her chest, jumping at she lost all hope of escaping.

'Just give up…' She thought but her sanity broke through the monster of lust that began to pool in her body.

"Why… No one else has forced themselves on me…" Sutoroberi asked him as Kish circled her, his yellow eyes washing over her.

"Because," Kish simply said as he walked toward her, "Sorry for late introductions but my name is Kish," he continued as she rolled her eyes at him.

"You have your own way of impressing the ladies you know that!" Sutoroberi snapped, "I'm Sutoroberi and everyone knows who you are after Lord Furaro chose you to fight the humans," Kish then just jumped on her, sending her to the ground. Kish straddled her, anchoring her down as he ran a hand through her hair.

"Sutoroberi… That's such a lovely name," Kish breathed as the last few fingers of self-control lost their grip. Sutoroberi's heart pounded more as a hot, burning feeling added to the felling in her nether regions, her blood jumping with hormones and fear as Kish dominated her. The strange mix made her stomach drop as Kish lowered his head down and ran his tongue over her cheek while his hands wandered over her arms, his fingers gliding over her and creating a line of heat on Sutoroberi's skin. He reached out and picked the dropped Sai, Sutoroberi's eyes glinted with fear, her throat drying up and all the muscles within it flexing and rubbing up against each other to create an unpleasant feeling. Her legs trembled as Kish place the blade against the top of her dress and he swiftly ripped her dress apart, revealing her large breasts. She let out a scream and she smacked Kish across the face yet her hand quivered as fear ran throughout her body. Kish rubbed his cheek and grinned at Sutoroberi, causing her to let out a whimper.

"You're so adorable," Kish hushed, "I could just devour you…" He dived his hands into her chest and his whole body shuddered at the feeling, his fingers sinking into her skin. He got carried away, kneading her breasts as Sutoroberi felt her muscles twitch, energy starting to boil down below, coursing alongside fear as a complete strange assaulted her, she tried to keep her wits about her but each movements over her breasts only added power to the yowling monster of arousal inside her. Her heart fluttered as his soft, sweet yet menacing words struck her core.

"Stop it! Stop!" she squealed but Kish just ignored her voice as he continued to envelop himself in the release of energy that racked his body, controlling it. He finally pulled away from her chest and his hands grabbed her thighs. She yelped as Kish pushed her legs apart, moving himself between them. He furiously tore of his clothes, preventing any cloth from getting in the way of this. Sutoroberi looked up at him with wide eyes that glimmered with terror yet pleasure, nervous yet anticipating it. He again got his trusty Sai and tore down her dress and undergarments, revealing her bare skin. She pushed herself up, her hands diving to cover her privates as the unwanted draft of hot warm danced over her skin which prickled as Kish's harsh eyes washed over her, looking at her aggressive lust, adding to hers.

"Why are you covering your body? I'll see it sooner or later," Kish hissed, Sutoroberi's heart jumped at his words and he pried her hands away to take in the helpless girl before him. He pushed himself closer as Sutoroberi looked at him with wide eyes, little tears beginning to roll down.

"You're really going to do this? You really are…" She muttered, her voice taut with disbelief however her belly yowled, tensing up as she felt his tip beginning to rip her apart. Kish wrapped his hands around her waist and he thrust inside her without mercy, tearing Sutoroberi apart, tearing away their virginity. She let out a scream as she felt her once well-protected innocence ripped from her painfully. Her muscles clenched up as pain throbbed at her body, her pelvic muscles rippling around at the hot, burning discomfort that centered at her entrance. However Kish reveled in it, the high-pitched scream that echoed around the room, it delighted him. He could remember Mew Ichigo's scream and he repeated it in his mind. Her lips, her body, her beautiful eyes that watered over in fear… He continued ruthlessly, thrusting into Sutoroberi, each thrust repeating the pain deep down however slowly the heat increased. Tears fell down her cheeks as she made strange sounds that were a muddled mix of pleading to stop, crying and moaning. Kish fondled her body as he continued, pleasure taking full control of his body, his mind degrading more and more. The thoughts of Sutoroberi had disappeared long ago, then eventually thoughts of Mew Ichigo until all he thought about was release, the act of fornication. Sutoroberi's lips quivered and she started to feel the overwhelming sensation of heat replace pain. Her breath became ragged as moans rose up and her pleading changed as she was degraded to a different degree. She wanted pleasure, the feeling of sex controlling her as her vision of Kish changed. He was no longer her predator, her heart swelled with heat as he continued. His ears registered her moans, his animalistic side smirking with pride as he felt his muscles tense up around his hips, twitching as he gave one finally thrust into her, a wash of relief rushing up every muscles, every limb and he pushed himself deep inside her.

"Inside!" Sutoroberi screamed as she felt his release, her eyes widened as exhaustion fell over her. Kish quivered as the last of his energy left him, leaving him a shell. He pulled himself out and looked over her, sanity starting to reappear. His mind buzzed with fatigue, watching her bare chest heave up and down and he looked at the mixture of fluids that trickled out of her.

"Kish…" Sutoroberi murmured but it was lulled, not furious, not fearful. Kish stumbled back before he started to collapse into darkness of sleep as one thought ran across his mind.

'I shouldn't have done that inside…'

* * *

"That's all the books that I could find," Pie's serious voice mumbled as he gave one last book to Kish, "Why do you need those anyway?" Pie asked him.

"Keeki-chan, one of the warriors deployed with us wants them… I'm not sure why…" Kish muttered. Pie studied him curiously, his eyes weren't glowing with excitement.

"What's wrong?" He asked, Kish rolled his eyes and groaned.

"Just did something I shouldn't have…" Kish mumbled. Pie's indigo eyes scanned Kish's yellow ones before he sighed.

"You had a one-night-stand and regret it?" He asked, Kish nodded before he smacked himself.

"How did you know?" He asked, Pie shrugged as a tiny smile crossed his lips.

"An educated guess," He smiled.

"Smart-ass," Kish moaned as he tucked the three books under his arm, "I better head back to the ship," He said and turned away.

"Tart and I have been summoned to deploy out," Pie told him, Kish stopped and turned around.

"You're serious? When? Where?" Kish asked.

"Soon, a week I think," Pie told him, "We are going to join up with you," Kish smiled before he turned around.

"I'll see you soon then, Bye," He said, waving with his spare hand as he made his way to the ship. He bit his lip as the cavern where the ship sat was filling up with white due to the blizzard, the chill slamming his body. Sasujiro stood at the ship, talking to a fellow Kaerufan until he spotted Kish.

"Let's go, we can't idle here too much," Sasujiro said and dismissed the adult Kaerufan he was speaking with. Kish tried his best to run through the snow that was clinging around his thighs and he made it on the ship, closing the main doors behind him. He ripped of the damp, white robe and threw the books for Keeki in a corner. He jumped into his seat as Sasujiro started up the ship.

"I saw that you did enjoy the celebration," Sasujiro laughed. Kish's face dropped and he pouted at Sasujiro, "I'm amazed that you got with Sutoroberi, she is known for being quite cold and never participating in that 'celebration'. How did you do it?" He asked as Kish glanced off the side as the ship rocketed out into space, the planet left behind them. Kish watched it, the blue and white surface falling into darkness and turning into a small, distant star in a minute. Sasujiro laughed a little to loud as he realised what Kish had done.

"I feel a little bad," Kish admitted, "She must hate me…" Kish huffed.

"I wouldn't be to sure about it," Sasujiro smirked.

"Ba?" Kish made a strange noise as his confusion levels peaked, "I pretty much raped her!" Kish said.

"Well, she has a condition I like to call Sex-holm Syndrome…" Sasujiro snickered, "They are common in the Movement, You bagged yourself a wild one,"

"What?" Kish continued to look at him, baffled at what Sasujiro was talking about.

* * *

"Sasujiro," Sutoroberi said, approaching Sasujiro before he left for the ship earlier that day. She had changed into the white robe, taking Sasujiro by surprise.

'Normally she is in the uniform that Purofittoro made for her… Unless…' He thought as her eyes brimmed with warmth that he had never seen before in her hazel eyes.

"Have you seen Kish? He left before I woke up," She said, "I can't find him,"

"Sorry, I don't know where he could be… I'll tell him that you were looking for him," Sasujiro held back a snicker when Sutoroberi's next question took him by surprise.

"You're fighting at Aquis Tokyo aren't you?" She piped up, Sasujiro nodded, looking at her as she pondered something.

"Okay, I just wanted to know…" She mumbled as she walked off.

* * *

"Damnit! Damnit!" A girl hissed as she rode her bike through the streets of Tokyo. Her green and red eyes flicked around the place, searching desperately. She peddled faster, the night cool air buffeted by her skin harshly. She could sense it, the flare of energy that fought eternally with itself. She passed a few drunks that yelled at her to be in bed, she just ignored them as the last Mew Mew ran through Tokyo uncontrollably.

'What the fuck is this chick doing?' She thought, her breath heaving and energy slowly was drained from her legs and her arms that felt frozen to the bike. She hissed in annoyance and gave up as the Ki of the last Mew disappeared into the night. Hitomi collapsed on the bike and sighed. She slid of the bike and began to walk forward.

"Thanks to that, I'm ages away from home in the middle of the night…" Hitomi cursed, she looked around, knowing the streets of Tokyo to be safe but she was more worried about certain aliens finding her. "The Mews get off scot-free since they have their alter-egos. Me on the other hand? Kish saw me and knows what I look like, it's only a matter of time before I'm attacked and it'll depend on the girls to find and save me… I should have an alter-ego if I keep getting involved so much, perhaps I should just stay and help Keiichiro-san at the café and watch and help them from afar," She started musing to herself. She stopped and searched the area. She then noticed that Ichigo's house was nearby.

'Screw going home then,' Hitomi thought as she headed for Ichigo's house. She threw her bike over the wooden gate and quickly jumped over it, she stuffed her bike behind the garden and found Ichigo's room. 'Shit, it's upstairs… How do I get up there!' She thought. She resorted to the old cliché, she picked up a rock and threw it at the window frame. Ichigo's head popped through the curtain and her face turned from sleepy to surprised, she opened the window and looked down at her friend below.

"Hitomi? What are you doing here?" Ichigo asked sleepily as bed hair curled around her face.

"I'll tell you soon, can you let me in? It isn't safe for me here," Hitomi called out, Ichigo nodded and left, going down the stairs quietly and then opened the front door for Hitomi. They both went up to Ichigo's room, closing the door behind them.

"Okay, what is it? Why are you out here at this time?" Ichigo yawned as the hopped on her bed.

"I felt the presence of the last Mew Mew," Hitomi started, piping Ichigo's interest, "I have no idea what they are doing, they are running around the city at this time at night but I lost her… I came here for the main reason that I'm far away from home and I can't be bothered going home and also before you were a Mew Mew, what was it like?" Hitomi asked. Ichigo sat back and thought, letting Hitomi's words run through her sleepy mind.

"Well, I remember feeling very confused… I felt different and at times, I couldn't control my body. I ate fish, dozed during the day and I couldn't stop saying Nya," She said, however whenever she meowed, it sounded very accurate, "When I got the Mew Pendent, it's easier to control it,"

"What about Lettuce and Mint Ane-chan?" Hitomi asked.

"Mint had an idea but was in denial about it until she was about to be killed by a Chimera Anima… Lettuce… I don't know, you should know better, after all, you watched the whole battle," Ichigo continued.

"That's true… She just transformed like that…" Hitomi sighed, sitting at the bottom of Ichigo's bed.

"Perhaps… If the animal DNA is ignored for some time, it tries to surge through and appear. I know Pudding had accepted it and she suffered the least out of all of us so perhaps if you deny that DNA it fights against you," Ichigo proposed, Hitomi's eyes lit up and smiled at the pink Mew Mew.

"Genius! That must be it!" Hitomi cheered, Ichigo shyly looked off to the side as Hitomi praised her.

"I'm not really," Ichigo said, "Anyway, where do you wanna sleep?" Ichigo asked, "I'm not to sure wh-"

"I'll just sleep here," Hitomi said and curled up at the bottom of the bed. Ichigo shook her head and pulled her quilt down and patted the side of the bed beside her.

"I'm not cracking onto you or anything but sleep up here," Ichigo said, Hitomi smiled at her and slunk up the bed and jumped in next to her.

"Thank you Ichigo," Hitomi said as her cold skin began to be warmed by the thick blanket and soft quilts.

"You looked after me when I was injured and you're my friend, I'll look after you too," Ichigo smiled through the darkness. Hitomi giggled before letting out a breath, calming herself down.

"Thank you," Hitomi repeated.

"That's okay but please don't caress my arm like that," Ichigo mumbled sternly as Hitomi laughed quietly as she stopped her practical joke.

"What? You could have pretended it was Aoyama," Hitomi slyly added as Ichigo didn't reply, thanking the darkness for hiding her blush as she very well imagined that. She imagined Masaya laying next to her, his perfect hands running over her body as he whispered in her ear.

"God damnit Hitom-nya!" Ichigo exclaimed, her ears and tail popping out in a second as Hitomi continued to harass her.

"So much for self control," Hitomi smirked.

* * *

**Zoey Hoshi:** Good Bye holidays… Hello school… Groan, these two weeks went by too quickly

**Ryou & Hitomi:** So that's all you say? Nothing about this chapter? It's pretty nice…

**Zoey Hoshi:** Don't flatter me, only the fans of fan fiction and this story can decide that.


	26. Internal & External Conflicts

**Author's Note**: It's been ages (for me) since I wrote! I love writing and I normally at least write a paragraph a night but I haven't for a few days. Yet, we are at the peak of our flight, our journey through The Mew Project, coming into the Zakuro arc and then we hit the Cherry Blossom incident! This chapter is much more light-hearted before things get to messy….

**Note:** I am Australian, and we have alternative ways of spelling certain words from America. Eg. Mum/Mom, -ise/-ize etc.

I know it is a major pain to do this, but please leave comments/reviews etc. because it **really** does cheer me up, knowing that this story is actually read and liked by people. **Thank you and sorry for all this!**

* * *

**~Translation Note/Notes~**

**Pichi – Japanese Onomatopoeia for a bird chirp/tweet etc.**

**^^ - These marks indicate what someone is saying while stuck in their animal form.**

* * *

**Chapter 26: Internal & External Conflicts**

"Hello? Anyone here?" Ichigo called out as she walked around the empty café, Masha fluttering around, his pink eyes scanning the rooms.

"Hello? Hello?" Masha called. Morning light poured into the main room, all the chairs sat upside down, hanging off the tables, just as Ichigo had left it last night. Silence gripped the area as Ichigo ran around, trying to locate either two of the men that lived in a Barbie-like café.

"Ichigo-san? It's peculiar to find you here at this time of day," Keiichiro's voice sounded as he walked down the stairs. Ichigo spun around, a bit taken back at this untidy appearance, his long, flowing hair was out of its ponytail and sat around his waist, hanging off his shoulders. He was dark under the eyes and his actions were slow, as if Ichigo had just woken him up.

"Ah! Akasaka-san, did I wake you? I'm so sorry," Ichigo bowed to the twenty-one year old. He blinked away the sleep and smiled at her.

"It's okay, what brings you here?" Keiichiro asked.

"I actually want to discuss something with you and Shirogane-san," Ichigo said and Masha popped himself on her head. Keiichiro looked at her, a little baffled but he nodded and motioned for Ichigo to follow him.

Alto sat on the windowsill, his blue eyes looking over the park. He closed his eyes and inhaled, his body slammed with information that ran through his brain. The smog that was already getting thick in the air stung at the back of his throat, leaving a tangy taste on his tongue. He licked his tongue over his fur to wash it out, only taking in the scents of the trees, flowering blossoms and the birds that fluttered nearby. Amongst all of that, he could scent that the aliens, where ever they were. Ryou tried to ignore the dark presence that the aliens created and enjoyed the sunlight.

"Ryou, I'm coming in," Keiichiro's voice sounded. Alto jumped up as he heard the sound of the door creaking open. He knew it wasn't just Keiichiro, he could smell the sweet scent of Ichigo behind him.

^Wait! Wait!^ He mewled, he mentally slapped himself as he heard his pitiful meows. He stumbled backwards to the edge of the windows, preparing to jump down if he saw Ichigo's pink hair.

'Anything to stop her from seeing me…' He thought. Keiichiro's brown eyes came into contact with a pair of brilliant blue cat eyes and heard a cat's cries.

'Damnit!' He thought and slammed the door shut in his and Ichigo's face, Masha jumping a little and letting out a surprised chirp.

"Ah owww! What's wrong?" Ichigo whimpered as the door collided with her nose. She rubbed her sensitive nose and looked up at Keiichiro who had gained his composure again.

"Ah, he was getting changed… Sorry Ichigo-san… Are you finished yet Ryou?" Keiichiro asked through the door as Alto jumped back inside and tore off the scarf, transforming back to Ryou. He cringed as his tail shrunk back in, his spine and body weight readjusting as his fur disappeared, revealing the bare skin and his blonde hair grew out. Ryou then eventually found himself on his bedroom floor on his knees and hands. He stood up and dusted himself off, breathing out to calm himself down.

'Thank god I changed before hand,' He thought as he looked over his white and blue vest and his black jeans.

"Yes, I am," He said, a little breathlessly as Keiichiro opened the door. He flicked Ryou an apologetic look as Ichigo walked into the room.

"Why didn't you reply when Keiichiro knocked? Stupid pervert," Ichigo hissed at the blue eyed boy, crossing her arms as she looked at him in an unimpressed manner.

"Watch it vulgar girl, that talk will make pretty boy dislike you," Ryou flatly hissed back. A vein twitched on Ichigo's forehead, she stamped her foot and he glared at Ryou.

"Pretty boy? Watch it Shirogane! Who has the powers here?" She hissed as Keiichiro rubbed the bridge of his nose.

'Oh lord… They're at it again…' He thought as Ryou snorted in irritation, 'How much longer is he gonna keep the truth from her?'

"Who gave you the incredible powers? Me! Who gave you Masha?"

"Ryou!" Masha chirped happily as he fluttered around Ichigo, not quite picking up on the situation.

"Yeah and who gave you a job? Me!"

"Who ripped away my normal life? You! Who doesn't give me enough credit? You! Who doesn't respect me in the least and doesn't care about me? YOU!" Ichigo hissed, stepping towards Ryou while pointing at him in an accusative manner. Ryou held down a hiss, letting it rumble in his throat softly.

"Why do you think so selfishly? We are saving the world! You should take on the attitude of the other girls!"

"Selfish! I'm selfish! You destroyed my life without a single word! NYA!" Ichigo shrieked as her blood ran along her body, heating her up and her soft car ears and tail spurted out. She however didn't hide them, letting her ears flatten down and her tail swing around in agitation. Ryou snorted again and spun around so his back was insultingly staring Ichigo in the face.

'_Punish her, she is being an insolent kitten. She isn't listening to her parent, listening to me…_' Ryou felt his other blood yowl. He put up his mental wall, trying to block it out before he huffed.

"Why are you here anyway?" Ryou asked, Ichigo blinked as her anger boiled down.

"Ah! I almost forgot! It's about the last Mew Mew!" Ichigo said, Ryou spun around, looking at her with a raise eyebrow.

"The last Mew Mew? What about her?"

* * *

"Good, good Fujiwara-san!" A young man said, his voice distorted by a strong metrosexual tone. The bright lights flashed over Zakuro, her eyes used to the constant white flashes from cameras. She sat the white block, the background a standard white screen, though she knew that a bit of photo shop would fix it up to a Cherry Blossom tree-filled park or a thick, humid forest on top of towering mountains within an hour or two. A few assistants flocked to Zakuro, touching up her makeup, their masterpiece before they retreated back as the photographer gave Zakuro some more instructions. "Sit on the ground, yes just like that and rest your upper body on the block. Yes! Cradle your head in one hand and rest the other in a flirtatious pose. Perfect!" Zakuro followed his instructions, posing in a flowing, ruffled dress, her arms, wrists and neck covered in gleaming jewellery. She then pulled her professional smile, her enthusiasm shining through easy as she lost herself in the shoot. Another wash of flashes washed over Zakuro and the photographer pulled away and clapped his hands, signaling the end of the shoot. Zakuro got up, stretching before an assistant led her back to the dressing room.

"Excellent work Fujiwara-san!" A young make-up intern bowed to her. Zakuro bowed back, smiling before she sat in the chair.

"Thank you for your co-operation and all of your work," Zakuro returned the basic and daily acknowledgements. They began to take the heavy make-up off, before giving her a lighter cover of make-up when the photographer walked in.

"Great work Fujiwara-san! These photos are excellent!" He chimed.

"Thank yourself, you were the one directing me," Zakuro replied happily however the young twenties photographer shook his head, his dark eyes brimming with excitement through his thick rimmed glasses. He approached her and held Zakuro's hand. Zakuro was happy to have an English photographer, she was used to handshakes from living in America, bowing to others now felt a little bizarre.

"You have changed Fujiwara-san, you're stance and smiles are more… What's the word I'm looking for…" He pondered for a minute, clicking his fingers as Zakuro's mind raced.

'I didn't do anything different! This is my standard shoot, I never do something different unless the photographer demands so…' Zakuro thought as he clicked his spare hand loudly.

"Your stance and expressions are more sultry and somehow seductively domineering. Your male fans will be all over this! You are growing up Fujiwara-san, excellent work!"

'What…? My stance and expression? Yet I gave a normal smile and I didn't try to be seductive…' She thought as the make-up artists pulled away.

"Thank you," Zakuro said, walking away although she felt she was walking in a heavy fog that clung to her. She walked out to the hallway to find Calum, dressed casually in a black, tight fitting shirt and ripped jeans, giving a young girl his autograph. She had a large blush painted on her face as she twirled around in front of him. Zakuro watched him tell the little ten year old something, causing her to nod quickly before she dashed off to her awaiting father. Calum and the father bowed to each other, the girl waving at him as she walked off, Calum smiled softly and waved back.

"You aren't much of a rock star, they were supposed to be jumping from lover to lover, excessively drinking and have drunken lecherous behaviours," Zakuro announced as she walked up next to him, "Although you seem to have the lecherous part down pat though," She teased him. Calum laughed before he turned to Zakuro.

"It's good to break away from the norm, to be an individual sometimes. I don't want to follow that path…" Calum then smirked, "What about you little miss model? Sleeping with a boy, on a lounge at his house, skipping school for it even. How scandalous!" He covered his smirk with his hand, looking down on Zakuro. Zakuro eyebrow twitched and she shot him a warning glance.

"Falling asleep next to a boy from exhaustion is much different from actually having sex with a boy," Zakuro jibed.

"You sleep from exhaustion from either one, so it's similar in a certain way," Calum teased.

"Yeah, yeah. Then you slept with your mother before you were born," Zakuro threw back his own words. Calum stopped dead, covering his mouth as if he was about to puke. He spun around and gained his composure back.

"Hey Zakuro, I didn't know you had finished yet," Calum said, a naïve smile painted on his face. Zakuro rolled her eyes, face palming herself before she started to walk out the door.

"Don't pretend that we never had this conversation just because I won," Zakuro hissed. Calum followed her, letting a defeated silence wrap around him before he sighed.

"Anyway, Zakuro, have you had anymore dreams?" Calum asked. Zakuro stopped, the glances of several people went unnoticed as Zakuro's mind went back into the heavy fog.

"No, nothing last night… I just woke up a little tired but…" Zakuro trailed off, slumping against a brick wall. Her opaline eyes casted off to the side, their unusually dark colour almost reflecting the internal conflicting thoughts, the deep fog that consumed her. Calum sighed as he looked at the downcast Zakuro yet she looked beautiful, her long locks spilling on her shoulders and the shin-length dress fluttering around. Calum softly patted the top of her head, she flinched at the action however the long strokes of his large hand felt nice, comforting even. She wanted him to control patting her, comforting her. She relaxed herself at his gentle touch and he smiled at her.

"Hey, cheer up, let's go out somewhere together," Calum proposed. Zakuro looked at him confused and Calum grabbed her hand before she said a word and he led her down the street.

"Wait! Wait! Where are we going?" Zakuro asked as she was tugged along. Calum glanced back happily at her.

"To our special place!" Calum called back. Zakuro looked at him, his vague words only confusing her more. She gave up, letting her body run along side Calum instead of being dragged along.

She shut her confusions and uncertainties in the corner of her mind, just letting her enjoyment break through. She took in everything, from every scent and every sound, letting herself savour this moment. Everyday she was plagued by the fog, her work and school, right now though it was washed away momentarily. Her legs powered forward, every muscle tissue working in her legs to propel her forward and it felt amazing to Zakuro, creating a wonderful, adrenaline-like tremble along her skin. Zakuro couldn't hold back a smile as she ran through the streets of Tokyo, not caring who looked at her and Calum, whoever may make up rumours or may be following her. She felt as if she was nothing but a normal schoolgirl…

The cool air that brushed passed her cheek burned slightly yet it tingled her heart, nostalgia smacking her hard as she ran through Tokyo. It felt like she had done this before yet something was missing. Her brain pulled up an image that Zakuro hadn't seen before yet she was easily lost inside of it. She pictured herself running under the cover of darkness, nothing but stars watching over her and the pale moon providing her with enough light to run around her territory. The light spilled onto the pavement and on top of buildings and created long shadows for Zakuro to hide in, while she scanned for any intruders. She had to search, to make sure there were no strangers in her land so she could protect herself and the pack.

Calum then halted in front of his father's sandstone church, his shoulders heaving as he caught his breath. Zakuro skidded to a halt, her eyes opening wide as that picture disappeared and her uncertainties flew back, flogging her mind viciously as her previous thoughts echoed around her mind.

'Protect? Intruders? Pack? What is wrong with me…?' Zakuro thought as Calum led her into the church. 'Why did that feel so nostalgic?' Zakuro added to her thoughts as Calum turned to her, her hand still within his as he bowed, leaning forward to kiss her hand. Zakuro jumped at it, his lips felt warm yet she could feel the tough hairs of his stubble, creating a juxtaposition sensation on her hand.

"Come here whenever you need guidance Zakuro. I'll be waiting,"

* * *

"This is terrible!" Lettuce wailed, her hands clamped around the broom as she sunk to the ground.

"Terrible! Terrible!" Masha remarked as his eyes read through the article at a superhuman speed.

"I told you that we had to be careful about our actions," Mint said as she sipped her tea, looking down at the newspaper in front of her.

"Yeah your one to talk, what about the other day?" Ichigo jibed, Mint frowned and snorted.

"There are times when our animal instincts control us," Mint sniffed, crossing her arms, "Anyway, you know what happened with that!" Mint pointed out, Ichigo shrunk back at this comment.

"I'm sorry Mint," Ichigo apologised, "I didn't mean to…" Ichigo trailed off, "How is Seiji-san?" Ichigo asked. Mint relaxed and gazed up at the ceiling.

"He recovered enough to leave this morning for Aquis Washington… I won't see him for a whole year…" Mint trailed off.

"He better not utter about the Mew Project," Ryou cut in. Ichigo shot him a warning, her blood boiling as she jumped to Mint's defence.

"He promised to keep it a secret, I trust him…" Mint replied to Ryou.

"Yeah! He is a nice gentleman unlike you," Ichigo sniffed, "Lousy pervert," She hissed under her breath. Ryou's forehead furrowed as Ichigo's comment buried deep inside, eating away at his pride like a parasite. He bit on his lip, hoping the pain would distract him when a little voice popped up.

"Ichigo-san… Shirogane-san is just helping us, he has us and our mission in mind. He didn't mean it like that…" Lettuce jumped to protect him. Ichigo and Mint stopped and looked down at their fragile little friend.

'Did she just…' Mint thought

'Jump to Shirogane's defence?' Ichigo finished the thought Mint and she both had. Mint jumped up, prying Lettuce's hands from the broom she was clutching and dragged her to the hall, leaving Ichigo and Ryou stunned in the main room.

"What just happened?" Ryou muttered, missing the significance of that statement, making Ichigo's rage boil again.

"Lettuce, did something happen that day you stayed behind to finish closing the café?" Mint whispered to her when they were out of Ryou's range of hearing. Lettuce's eyes widened as her mind flashed back to Ryou's soft yet strong body crushing into hers, specifically her breasts and how his heart beats pounded against hers. Even though it wasn't a sexual act at all, for the reserved Lettuce, it was close enough for her. A blush ran across her cheeks as her memories resurfaced and she glanced away from Mint's harsh gaze.

"No-nothing at all," She stuttered but this reaction made Mint smile.

"I think something did happen… Something between you and Ryo-" Lettuce slapped her hands over Mint's mouth, muffling her words.

"Min-mint-san!" Lettuce wailed.

'What if Shirogane-san hears us!' Lettuce thought, her blood running through her body, her emotions creating amuck and causing her feelers to pop up the top of her head. They tangled around her and Mint's body as Hitomi walked down from the changing room on the second floor. She glanced over the railing to find Mint trying to rip herself from Lettuce's death-like grip on her mouth. Lettuce's body was trembling slightly from nervousness, her hands beginning to become clammy as Mint continued to struggle.

'Why do I get the feeling this isn't going to end well?' Hitomi thought. Keiichiro walked down from his room on the third floor, carrying a bunch of newspapers and magazines when he came across Hitomi who was watching something down in the hallway, sweat dropping at something occurring downstairs.

"Hitomi-san what's the mat-" Keiichiro started when voices interrupted him.

"WAHH! Kyaa!" Lettuce and Mint both yelled as they toppled over to the ground, their bodies crashing into the hard wooden floor.

Ichigo, whose cat ears were flattened down, her fur sticking up as she glared defiantly at Ryou, who was on the edge of his ears appearing as well stopped their argument that Masha had been trying to stop and ran to the hallway, where Ryou halted, his eyes widening at the sight before him. He covered his nose as blood began to swell to it. Lettuce was laying on top of Mint's body, her legs splaying out in a way that it showed off all of her curves and unfortunately, the skirt had flipped to reveal the bloomers.

'Luckily Keiichiro got us those things, otherwise it would have been a lot worse for Lettuce' Ichigo thought as Lettuce pushed herself up.

"I'm so so sorry! Sorry! Mint-san, are you okay?" Lettuce blubbered as she sat over Mint.

"Girls, I know you want to attract more guys here… however please don't resort to Yuri tactics…" Keiichiro lightly joked.

"You know, that would work… Yet we would get even more girls here…" Hitomi sighed as Lettuce and Mint both blushed.

"We weren't doing that!" They both screamed as the front door of the café slammed open.

"Pudding is here na no da!" Pudding happily said as she skipped through the main room and stopped dead in the hallway to find everyone. She looked at the sweat dropping Keiichiro and Hitomi, then to the embarrassed Mint and Lettuce and then to Lettuce's exposed bloomers.

"Lettuce Onee-chan! I can see your bloomers na no da!" Pudding called out innocently. Lettuce let out a high-pitch click as she stood up, pulling her skirt down as she jumped up. She glanced back behind her, her body still trembling a little as s thick blush painted her face.

"D-d-d-did you see them?" She muttered and with that Ryou unleashed his nosebleed, falling to the ground as a blush touched his cheeks.

'So-so goddamn cute!' He thought as Ichigo hissed, her tail appearing in a few seconds. She growled at Ryou, whose nosebleed continued, painting the wooden floor.

"YOU PERVERT!" She screamed as her nails turned into claws.

"Pervert!" Masha cried out, not understanding the word though before he looked back at his owner, "Ichigo! Tail! Ears!" Masha fluttered around her, yet his words didn't register in Ichigo's mind.

"Hitomi-san… Can you please subdue them for me?" Keiichiro leaned over, whispering into her ear. Hitomi sighed and pulled out two bouncy balls that she won from an arcade machine and the old bell.

"Just give me a second," Hitomi sighed, "Balls for Pudding and Lettuce, bell for the little kittens and the bird," She murmured as she walked down the remaining steps.

* * *

"Now that I have your attention," Keiichiro said, an innocent smile on his lips and Hitomi pulled away the bell from Ichigo and Mint, who were watching it, entranced by it. They both snapped out of it and they glanced away, embarrassed at their actions, "Can we discuss this please before we open?," Keiichiro said as he pulled out several papers and magazines. He flicked to pages that were filled with old battlefields and blurred photos. The Mews looked through them, locating the battlefields and the corresponding Chimera Anima for it.

"So they are onto us already…." Ryou mused while he flicked through the number of pages.

"What about the new article?" Hitomi said, "In today's daily paper," Keiichiro picked it out of the pile and passed it to her.

"Mysterious girl – Dark Menace?" Hitomi read out the headline, "Footage from a surveillance camera as captured images of a strange girl, travelling the city at amazingly fast speeds every night at two a.m.," Hitomi read aloud, "That where I was last night!" Hitomi said, setting the article down. She pointed to a dark, fussy still photograph of the footage. It was a figure, slim and with long hair however that was all the girls could make out in the poor quality image.

"So that's the final Onee-chan na no da?" Pudding said as she sat on Lettuce's lap. Lettuce looked down at the articles in front of her, avoiding eye contact with Ryou, who was copying her, both of them acting like a couple after an awkward one-night-stand. Mint looked at them, holding back a smile as she looked at a model magazine where there was a side column article on the zoo incident. She turned to page, looking at previews for a model's photobook.

'Zakuro Fujiwara – Aquis Japan's top model' Mint squirmed as she read the page when something caught her eye. She stopped, looking at a image of the model who was laying on a deep red lounge, her exposed legs stretched out and the tight fitting short shorts and low-cut shirt showing of her voluptuous body and her beautiful hair sitting along her back. Mint snatched up the newspaper and compared the two images together.

'Their curves, the body structure and the length of hair… It both fits!' Mint thought, her eyes widening as her heart began to flutter like a butterfly.

"No! NO WAY! Pichi!" Mint chirped, stepping back from her chair. Pudding jumped up and looked the two images.

"Aha!" Pudding exclaimed, ripping the images out of the pages and showing them to the others. "The body shape and structure, length and style of hair and overall body size fits perfectly! This is our last Onee-chan!" Pudding declared.

"Zakuro Fujiwara the model!" Ichigo gawked, "How?"

"I can't believe it! Oh course it had to be her!" Mint exclaimed, "She is so bold, so independent and a strong, powerful figure in entertainment yet she will be all of that on the battlefield. Strong, easily dispatching Chimera Animas without breaking a sweat. She'll look so elegant as Mew Zakuro!" Mint squealed. Hitomi and Ichigo they looked at her, disbelief painted on their face.

"She is acting like a fan girl…?" Hitomi murmured as Ryou shrugged his shoulders.

"Who's Zakuro Fujiwara?" Ryou asked.

"What! Pichi!" Mint stormed up to Ryou and looked at him harshly, "Zakuro Fujiwara Onee-sama is one of Aquis Japan's best models and she is an up coming actress! She is a strong and positive role model for all young girls! She can speak English, Japanese, Chinese, German and French! She is independent and escaped her horrible parents to live with her uncle and follow her dream of being a fashion model and perfect idol of the world!" Mint ranted to Ryou as Hitomi cradled her forehead.

"Hitomi, you look up to Mint because of her status and her ballet ability right? So you are a fan girl in some form right?" Ichigo whispered in Hitomi's ear, "I take all of that back, that," She said, pointing at Mint, who was still ranting about Zakuro's elegance, "That, is a fan girl,"

"I know," Hitomi replied, a bit to harshly as her eyebrow twitched.

"So, even rich girls like Mint can be fan girls?" Ryou laughed. Mint pouted before her tail popped out. She pulled her skirt down to hide it before she scowled at Ryou.

"You're wrong! Zakuro Onee-sama is different from those idols and models! She is strong, not depending on stunts to gain popularity! She uses pure talent!" Mint blubbered at Ryou. He just nodded his head and then he glanced over at Keiichiro, exchanging glances with him.

"So how do we get to Zakuro-san?" Lettuce asked out aloud. Ichigo and Hitomi shrugged and Mint glanced back at the desk, her eyes scanning through the article.

"The agency she is contracted with right now is Irieh Pro, maybe we could go there?" Mint said.

"Pudding can get us in with this na no da," Pudding said, pulling out a small silk bag. She dug through it and pulled out a small incense stick, "This is a secret incense created in central Aquis China, deep in the mountains na no da. It is a type of inhaled sedative. It allows you to get by your enemies so you and quietly ki-"

"Why do you have those things?" Ichigo asked as Pudding gave her the incense.

"Wait! There's a modeling audition! We could do that and approach her there!" Lettuce said.

"Good one Lettuce!" Ichigo cheered, hugging Lettuce and slipping the incense into her uniform's pocket. Lettuce glanced down as the girls swept around her, cheering her and planning their procedure to infiltrate the Irieh Pro building. Ryou walked over to Keiichiro, leaning against the wall as Keiichiro warmly watched over them.

"They are getting used to their new duties aren't they?" Keiichiro said as he walked over to open up the café. Ryou smiled and walked off to the kitchen, picking up the papers before he left.

'I hope they are getting used to it and starting to get serious about this… Something big will eventually happen…' Ryou thought. He flicked through he paper to the front page. There was a picture of the trashed Central Library of Aquis Japan. The front of the building was smash, broken apart and rubble littered the ground around it. Ryou frowned as he read the article, there was an attack on the library but no one or no real evidence was found.

"Something big is happening… Isn't there?" Ryou said aloud, "What are they up to?"

* * *

"I can't find her!" Kish yelled as he teleported into the base. Sasujiro stopped, pausing his experiment on a newly hatched Para Para and turned to Kish.

"You checked the park? The city?" He asked and Kish nodded quickly. His body trembled slightly as thoughts popped up into his head.

"What if they found her? What if she did something stupid?" Kish asked, his voice getting more and more hysterical. Sasujiro blinked at this and placed down the Para para.

"I've never seen you like this Kish. You are merciless in battle but to our own kind… You're a normal being…"

"Yeah… The Mews and humans are my toys bu-" He trailed off, "That isn't important… Ah! Her communicator!" Kish ran off to the sleeping quarters to pick up his communicator.

"You didn't even check the communicator first?" Sasujiro echoed his thoughts, "You'll find her easy now… She'll be fine, she isn't dumb…" Sasujiro said quietly and continued his experiment.

"Keeki-chan? Keeki-chan? Come in!" Kish's anxious voice sounded out of the dented communicator. One of the small screens was cracked, blacking out half of the screen. The circular device sat in a narrow alleyway, large dumpsters clogging the pathway. The concrete was cracked, warped by continuous heating of the sun and eaten away by water that collects in the alley. Old, run-down apartments stood tall on both sides, yet all windows were blocked, not a single inhabitant wanting to look at the godforsaken alleyway. Dried blood dribbled up the concrete and led towards a small space in between two dumpsters where a body slumped forward. Beside a bare foot was a few dried bloody, golden gun pellets. The small figure moved slightly, her chest rising slowly from swallow breaths. Her mossy green hoodie jumper was stained with dust and deep red blood. Paru cooed softly, nudging the girl's neck, feeling a steady pulse. Keeki opened her hazy golden eyes and casted a glance at the communicator.

"Huh… They're back now?" She murmured. Paru nudged her, looking at the communicator. Keeki picked it up and clicked on it.

"Kish…" She tried to bite passed the pain that surged through her body, throbbing at the bullet wounds in her stomach and shoulder. She tried to put on her normal voice as best she could, "What's up?"

"Thank god! I was worried that you were gone!" Kish heaved a sigh, weight lifted from him at the sound of her voice. A few seconds of silence passed by before Kish piped up again, "I got you those books you wanted on our history… I put them in your quarters," Kish reported.

"Ah…Thank you Kish…" She hissed quietly, "I'll be back at night, I got to finish… this study…." Keeki lied but Kish took it.

"Okay, see you then," Kish said and hung up. Keeki then dropped the communicator down on the ground, her arm burning in pain from the action.

Her muscle tissue was burnt and torn in her left shoulder, sending electric shots of pain along her arm even when she lifted a finger. It felt as if someone was dragging a blade through her flesh, trembling through every muscles and every tissue of her body. She shrugged, holding her stomach as another wave of pain surged up her body, creating a whirlpool at her bullet wounds, sucking in every bit of spiking pain and heat. She heaved a breath, a sweat breaking out on her forehead and under her arms. Paru cooed again in an electric chirp, pressing its cold, moist body against her burning skin.

"God help us Paru… God help us…" Keeki mourned as she lazed back on the cool dumpster.

* * *

**Zoey Hoshi: **I should have gotten this out sooner! I'm sorry!

**Ryou:** You went from normal, light-hearted fluff to a heavy and mysterious ending? That's a cock-tease! What the hell

**Zoey Hoshi:** Hehehhe… That what all writers do right? Anyway, I promise to get the next chapter up sooner!


	27. Lies For Your Benefit

**Author's Note**: I am terribly sorry for my lack of updates, this chapter was finished at least two maybe three days ago but due to internet problems, I'm only now just getting them up. School has settled in now so hopefully it will stop preventing my creative mode. Anyway, almost 30 chapters in and I'm only up to episode 10 of Tokyo Mew Mew… That's kind of sad but I feel like this story as been perfect anyway, all the characters are set in place and the story is developing perfectly. Let's keep them coming!

**Note:** I am Australian, and we have alternative ways of spelling certain words from America. Eg. Mum/Mom, -ise/-ize etc.

I know it is a major pain to do this, but please leave comments/reviews etc. because it **really** does cheer me up, knowing that this story is actually read and liked by people. **Thank you and sorry for all this!**

* * *

**Chapter 27: Lies For Your Benefit**

Sasujiro watched patiently, his eyes glittering with semi-contained excitement. He stood next to a large, circular tank made from cheap tin, held together with rusty screws. He dipped his hands in the cool water, leaning forward to the centre where several, blue tinted polyps sat from the stony bottom of the tank. However, there was another taller and wider polyp on the side, the slippery surface of this polyp was bumped and purple vein like patterns were just visible. The polyp swelled, expanding as something was pushed up it, giving birth almost. Sasujiro leaned forwards, his hands waiting at the end, a doctor to the birthing creature. Eventually it popped out and Sasujiro wasted to time pulling it out of the tank.

"Yes! Perfect! After ten years! Forced artificial selection and selective breeding as created another species!" Sasujiro cheered to himself, holding the newborn creature in his hands. It looked like a small eel with a bell-shaped head yet it still resembled at Para Para, it had the same cool, smooth and semi-transparent skin and coloured liquid sac inside its head but it had large, two black eyes and a small mouth. From its small jaw were the two original tentacles from its Para Para descendants, however they were a lot smaller and it still had two, long, purple antennas.

"What are you carrying on about?" Kish asked, peering into the tunnel that carved through dark, dense rock. He ripped off his vest, sweat dropping down his thin, lean chest, his collar bone and his lower ribs protruding out. He set his Sais down from his training and looked at his comrade.

"I have created a new kind of Para Para," Sasujiro proudly said. The newly born creature glanced around, making a lower pitch electronic click before sliding down Sasujiro's lean arm, after living around them since birth, the spine tingling feeling of the moist skin that soaked through his skin-tight, black long-sleeve shirt didn't phase him for even a second.

"It doesn't look to much like a Para Para…" Kish commented.

"It is far more superior than common Para Para," Sasujiro flatly replied. Kish gaped at it more before he scratched his head.

"Please explain genius," Kish groaned.

"They infect other creatures, much like Para Para but this one can also defend and attack in its original form," Sasujiro explained, "It is an advanced species of Para Para,"

"So, what's its name?" Kish asked, "It's not a Para Para so what's this called?"

"Para Paban," Sasujiro stated, watching the new creature crawl around, taking in its new surroundings.

"So what are we waiting for?" Kish said, picking up his Sais, he dived forward, plunging the blade into his invisible enemy, beads of sweat falling off his brow, "Let's see it in action!" Kish cheered, a mischievous smile spreading over his lips, his yellow eyes shining as he imagined watching its powers against those girls. Mew Ichigo dodging it, holding that weapon of hers as she aimed an attack. Her beautiful curves, her skin in the pale moonlight and the burning passion in her eyes before he dived for her, his thin lips locking with hers…

"No," Sasujiro replied, Kish's face dropped and he dropped one of his Sais in his mid-attack. His daydream was ripped from him, Sasujiro tearing away the picture of Mew Ichigo's strawberry eyes.

"What?" Kish blubbered in bafflement.

"Two reasons Kish, you simple minded fool," Kish made another annoyed but confused noise, "One, it's only a newly born creature, just spawned from the Para Paban polyp. Two, we need to breed more so if it is defeated, we have more and so we can set up the species. I'm not letting my parent's and my lifetime research and breeding go down the drain," He hissed, placing the young Para Paban in the tank, along side young Para Parai.

"Is that why you were chosen? For this I mean," Kish asked.

"Yes, my parents have been studying them and have been using breeding and genetic experiments to create a new breed. I have finally gotten a different species… I cannot screw this up…" Sasujiro mumbled when the door to the base opened and closed.

"Ah, is that you Keeki-chan?" Kish called out as Keeki's body appeared in the main room. Keeki froze, her back turned to Kish's gaze as she bit her lip.

"Y-yes," She groaned softly, a ripple of pain gnawing at her stomach. She slowly clutched her stomach with her left hand, her other holding onto her bag. Paru watched her with its beady, several eyes as it rubbed its cool tentacles on her sweaty back.

"You okay?" Kish asked, noticing her slow movements.

"I'm just tired… I'm off to bed," She said, she clenched her teeth together, her muscles in her legs trembling as she prepared herself.

'I have to get to my room quickly…' She thought, she took a deep breath and she pushed herself to run to her room in a realistic manner like she would have before. Kish watched her go and shrugged at Sasujiro.

"What's her problem?" He asked, however Sasujiro was much to preoccupied writing notes on his progress so Kish rolled his eyes.

'Argh, why are things so boring at times? No one trains with me and they don't want to fight… Weirdo. At least when Tart and Pie get here it should get better,' Kish thought to himself.

Keeki blubbered into her pillow, her fingers tearing at the cheap cloth and foam. She tried to shove it into her face, hoping it would prevent her screams from being heard. Pain and agony burned, ripping away at her, holding her little body in its large, raging claws, mercilessly tormenting her for its own pleasure. Paru flustered around, high-pitched clicks sounding from its body. Paru flew over to a small shelf were strange bottles and boxes sat, gripping some in its long tentacles and brought them over to Keeki. Her golden eyes were dull, blazing with the suffering torture that ruled over her yet she tried her best to look over at Paru gentle. Paru knew that look, any living creature could understand facial expression.

_Thank you, I'm fine, don't worry_

However Paru could see right through that lie. Keeki choked on her cries, holding in her breath as she reached for the boxes and containers that Paru had given her. She opened one pottery vase and dipped her fingers in some thick, ice-cold ooze, her other hand ripping off her shirt so she could see and reach her wounds. The shoulder wound wasn't deep yet caused her little body enough damage, the stomach wounds would take time to heal, her body trying to clog up the damaged areas, the platelets going to work in her plasma. She cringed, looking at her wounded body and set the ooze on each wound, the cold and slippery smooth texture soothing her but eventually an underlying stinging added to the mix, boarding Keeki on the edge of discomfort. She hissed, her lungs letting go of her breath as a sharp pain tensed her muscles up.

"If it's hurting that means it is working…' She told herself and opened a box, revealing thin, cloth band-aids. She wasted no time to dress her wounds, holding her damaged and injured tissue in place before she turned to one small container that was filled with baby-sized pills. Keeki grabbed a few out, swallowing them whole without any liquid before she slumped on her bed, kicking the books Kish had brought her onto the floor. Her body screamed for one thing, rest, she had to worry about history later. Paru pulled the thin cloth over her bare chest, which rose and fell more steadily than earlier. He made a long click, a hush almost as he rested next to her head, running his cold tentacle over her forehead.

"I'll be fine Paru, I just have to rest… Then we'll get back to history… It can come later for once… After all, the search for history did this to me…" She murmured as she closed her eyes, trying to fall into the embrace of sleep. Luckily the pain killers she had consumed started to numb her body in a few minutes, she fell into the comforting darkness.

* * *

"I know this is supposed to be a plan to check out if Zakuro-san is one of us…" Ichigo said. Lettuce sat down on a metal, foldable chair, fumbling with her hands to keep herself preoccupied and she looked up at Ichigo. Mint glanced over at her, her mind racing at what was going through Ichigo's head. All three girls were dressed in leotards for the audition today, thanks to the generosity of Keiichiro yet it left them with a few questions in their heads. Such as how did he obtain them? How did he know their favourite colour? However the biggest question was, how did he know their exact size for the leotards?

"But this is an audition right? What if… What if we get picked!" Ichigo cupped her chin as her heart began to flutter. Mint rolled her blue eyes as Ichigo wiggled her torso around, making strange little sounds as images filled her head. "Young models are looked up to by other girls for their cuteness and their personality. We could get picked… I could get picked! I would be a model… I would be famous!" Ichigo cried in happiness.

"That's the idea Ichigo, why else would there be over fifty girls here?" Mint said, pointing to the long line of girls that they were currently apart of.

"Mint! Don't you get it? Girls would look up to me, boys will wish that they were with me and all adults would praise me for my work and my attitude! Then, I would even do advertisements! I would get even more famous and then I'll be all over the place and perhaps… Aoyama-kun wouldn't be able to resi-" Her out-aloud babbling was cut off as Mint's fingers landed on Ichigo's behind, grasping her skin painfully between her long, perfectly groomed nails. Ichigo yelped, pain running up her side as Mint pinched her awake to reality.

"We are here to find the last member, not to goof around," Mint hissed as she let Ichigo go. Ichigo breathed through her sharp teeth and she rubbed the red mark that started to blossom burning red on her backside.

"You just don't want this moment of meeting Zakuro-san don't you?" Ichigo softly sneered. Mint flinched at this, freezing up before she glanced at Ichigo, phasing into her snobbish mind frame, locking up her inner, excited little girl deep inside and let her heart freeze over.

"I want this operation to go smoothly and I'm doing you a favour of making you let go of these hopes so you won't be disappointed," Mint added, holding up a hand to her face in the stereotypical rich-girl fashion.

"Disappointed? About what?" Ichigo's brow furrowed as she looked at the stuck-up Mint.

"That they choose an educated girl like me and not a vulgar girl like you," Mint jibed and with that, veins popped up over Ichigo's face, her hands curling up into fists. Lettuce sighed, her mind not picking up on the fight in front of her as she looked down at her long, slim fingers.

'I'm not here for the audition, I'm here to see Zakuro-san but Ichigo-san is right…' Lettuce sunk down more as her twiddling thumbs increased in speed, 'I'm not cut out for this… Why didn't Hitomi-san come and do this?' She thought and then that repeated in her head, 'Hitomi-san is always around Mint-san, always around her but she isn't here, I don't even know where she is,' Lettuce thought, she looked up at the cat and bird, both giving each other death stares.

"Mint-san… Why isn't Hitomi-san here?" Lettuce asked quietly. Mint glanced at her for a while before she crossed her arms and sighed.

"I have no idea… She has been acting weird lately…" Mint admitted. Ichigo and Lettuce had a jolt of electricity, a shock of realisation and a strange, uncomfortable feeling settled in their gut.

'Maybe she is jealous of Zakuro-san…?'

* * *

The warm spring sun filtered through the new leaves of the large mulberry trees, providing enough shade for the ground around it. Pudding crawled along a tree branch, her bare feet curled up around the branch and her hands cupping around it. She smiled as she hummed to herself, An-Nin happily slept on a branch above and his tail flicked around slowly as he dreamt of food and large open forests. Pudding plucked a ripe mulberry off the tree branch and ate it, making almost monkey sounds of happiness as the sweet berry melted in her mouth.

"It's yummy na no da!" She cheered, plucking another from the tree, sorting through unripe, bright red mulberries. She then tucked her legs around the branch and let herself drop so she dangled below the tree's branches and looked out to the figure of Hitomi who was picking up little pebbles and throwing them into the large pond that sat in front of them, "Hitomi Onee-chan, want a mulberry na no da?" Pudding called out, Hitomi stopped, glancing back at Pudding with an emotionless gaze before she softened up and walked up to her, dropping the pebble in her hand to the ground.

"Yes please," She said, receiving a few from Pudding. She then dropped next to the Mulberry tree trunk, looking out over the pond.

"Hitomi Onee-chan, why aren't we at the audition na no da?" Pudding asked her and Hitomi swallowed hard before she shook her head.

"I rather not become a model, it isn't my thing…" Hitomi replied, Pudding watched her for a moment before she swung herself back into the tree to collect more mulberries. Hitomi was casted in silence, her eyes looking off to the distance. Pudding looked at her blank expression, nibbling on a mulberry before dropping down to the ground and approaching the down casted blonde hair girl.

"Hey, is something wrong na no da? You feeling sick na no da?" Pudding asked, popping her face in front Hitomi's. She flinched back under she relaxed herself and gave Pudding a sad smile.

"I'm fine, I really am," Hitomi replied, Pudding looked at her more before she gave Hitomi some more mulberries.

"Cheer up Hitomi Onee-chan na no da!" Pudding happily told her before she ate some more and looked up at the blue sky. Pudding wasn't able to understand why Hitomi was like this but she knew that her words were lies but she overlooked that fact, knowing that it was only to not make Pudding worried. The little yellow haired girl dressed in an orange, traditional, skin Chinese outfit collapsed on the grass, stretching her legs and arms out above her. Pudding looked up at the sky, searching it almost on purpose to see that flying alien. Something was getting to her, she knew that technically, it was a bad thing but she wanted to see him, that alien Kish. She wanted to fight, it was like an itch or as if the boredom of the few days of peace had gotten to her. Pudding sat up and frowned and glanced over at Hitomi, her cheeks puffing out and her thin lips paused, this look caught Hitomi off guard.

"What's wrong?" She asked, leaning forward to the normally cheerful ten year old.

"Pudding is confused, why aren't we there with the other Onee-chans na no da? Pudding is bored, Pudding wants to perform to the judges na no da!" Pudding admitted, beginning to cartwheel around Hitomi, "Aren't you bored Hitomi Onee-chan? Let's go to the audition na no da!" Pudding jumped up and tugged on Hitomi's hand, "Also, Pudding noticed that you aren't happy right now na no da. Pudding doesn't like it when you're not your normal self Hitomi Oneechan! Let's go na no da!" Pudding added with a large smile, Hitomi froze up for a second, glancing away before smiling at Pudding. Pudding whistled, flushing out An-Nin onto her head, his little eyes blinking with sleepiness as they started to walk off.

"Sorry about that Pudding… Let's go," Hitomi smiled, letting Pudding lead the way to the building, "What exactly will we do though?" Hitomi asked.

"Well Mint Onee-chan was acting strangely and Ichigo Onee-chan and Lettuce Onee-chan would be to nervous to actually check out Zakuro Onee-chan na no da," Pudding explained, Hitomi pouted at her first statement.

'Acting strangely? That's Mint Ane-chan's fan girl-ism in a nutshell…' Hitomi thought. She shook her head at this thought and sighed, 'I can't believe I'm acting like a spoilt child. She should be able to respect others and call them Onee-sama, it's fine, I do that with her right now… But looking up to a model? They just get photographed, being an absolute fan girl over her…' The more Hitomi thought about it, the more she felt guilty about the way her blood boiled. They soon appeared in front of the large building were the audition was currently taking place, the polished glass circular windows and the smooth rendered walls made it stick out against the gray, sprawling office buildings like a sore thumb. Large posters, advertising the audition were plastered all over the district, on every spare telegraph pole and spare space of wall with the addiction information, that was massively over played, that Zakuro Fujiwara was the special judge for the day. Hitomi rolled her eyes at it as Pudding glanced around at the large reception area that consisted of a large desk with a lonely receptionist and two guards that stood next to the either two hallways. Hitomi sighed as she looked at the two obviously bored bodyguards.

"Pudding… I'm not sure if this is a good idea…" Hitomi said as she peered through the glass door, the receptionist gave her a strange look before picking up a ringing phone, "We should just wait until they are done…" Hitomi sighed. Pudding shook her head and she smiled at Hitomi.

"Pudding will get us in there, Hitomi Oneechan na no da!" Pudding told her however something about Pudding's smile and the way her little hand dived into her pocket made Hitomi a little nervous.

'Why do I get the feeling this is a bad idea?' Hitomi thought to herself.

* * *

"Beautiful Aizawa-san," An elderly female judge commented as Mint walked away from the catwalk, her head raised high, her back straight and her legs and arms moving with perfect timing. She spun around at the end of the catwalk and she didn't stumble at all or falter before walking back up the walk.

"Mint-san is amazing isn't she?" Lettuce awed as her and Ichigo watched from behind the thick, black curtain. Ichigo's heart was starting to flutter nervously as she watched Mint, thanks to many years of ballet's physical and mental training, she impressed all of the judges. Mint's blue eyes flicked to the last judge whose large, dark tinted glasses hided her deep purple eyes as she watched Mint.

'Zakuro Onee-sama, she is right here!' Mint thought as the judges wrote down notes on her performance and dismissed her.

"Momomiya Ichigo-san, please come up to walk," The elderly lady said, making Ichigo jump, a shiver running up her thighs. She swallowed hard, hoping it would keep down her lunch that was threatening to crawl up her throat. She approached the stage and the first thing that hit her was powerful perfume, a horrible scent that made Ichigo want to rub her nose and sniff it out. It was emitting from the elderly lady, her thinning hair puffing out and fat circular bead necklace sat around her wrinkling neck. The next judge was a young man, he was well-kept as well with his hair jelled back but he sat a little too femininely, his hands cupping his knee as he swiveled his ankle around. The next judge was a man in his fifties, stress taking a heavy and visible toll on his body yet his eyes burned sharply into Ichigo's. Ichigo's hand trembled as the old man observed her, yet it felt as if he was lecturing her with cruel words. Ichigo blinked slowly before looking at the last judge, Zakuro. She was dressed in a large overcoat, her hair draped down her body elegantly but Ichigo could not see her glance pass the large sunglasses.

'How am I supposed to find out if she is a Mew Mew?' Ichigo thought to herself.

"Momomiya-san," The young, male judge started, Ichigo stood a little taller and straightened herself.

"Yes," Ichigo bowed to the judges, they bowed their heads to her however a low bellow cut in, cutting through the tense air between Ichigo and the judges.

"Get back here!"

"Pudding! They are getting mad! Let's just go!" Hitomi's voice cut through, Ichigo froze at Hitomi's pleading yell.

"Ichigo Onee-chan! I'm here to audition too na no da!" Pudding cheered as she popped through the door, acting like nothing had just taken place or she had just walked into her house, a large carefree and sweet smile on her face. The judges looked at her judgingly and with shock in their wide eyes, however this didn't effect Pudding. A guard ran to the door, leaning on it as he caught his breath.

"You! Leave this pl-" His words were cut off as An-Nin jumped on his head and his tongue was covered in long, brown hair. He reached up at An-Nin who jumped around his shoulders, shrieking at him angrily and hitting him in anger. The elderly female judge stumbled back, screaming in horror at the wild monkey and the other judges followed suit but Zakuro sat still, staring at the strange girl and her monkey and she felt a strange thud in her chest, her heart jumping at the sight of these girls. Mint and Lettuce popped their heads around the curtain, hearing Pudding's distinct voice before jumping out to Pudding, who was a little taken back at An-Nin aggressive nature. The yelling and screaming quickly gained the attention of the other girls, all of the peering from a safe distance.

"Jesus H-Christ!" The young male judge said, not bothering to stand up, half watching in shock yet he looked a little entertained like this was a show on television.

'Was it because Pudding is An-Nin's family and that guard was anger at Pudding na no da?' Pudding thought before she snapped out of her little trance.

"An-Nin na no da! Stop it! Please! Pudding doesn't want this na no da!" Pudding called out, with this An-Nin stopped and jumped to Pudding, his large eyes wide as he looked up at Pudding, asking for forgiveness.

"What is going on!" The old woman screeched and the guard dusted himself off. Pudding held An-Nin in her arms, keeping him close as judging glared landed on the young girl.

"Pudding is sorry, Pudding wanted to cheer on and help her friends na no da…" Pudding said, her normally cheerful tone disappeared, her little cute voice full of remorse and sadness as she looked down at the ground while An-Nin made quiet and subdued grunts to Pudding. Lettuce quickly flanked Pudding, her eyes shining with nervousness but the aura that Pudding gave off, a tense and slightly frightened mood overwhelmed Lettuce, her blood trembling as her DNA reacted to Pudding. Ichigo quickly jumped down, her head lowered as the old judge began to sieve with anger, his leathery hands clenching up as his veins began to rise to the surface.

"Get out! Everyone! Get out! This is preposterous! This audition is over!" The old man yelled, his teeth showing as he yelled out over the crowd of girls that looked on the scene, shocking flushing in their faces as his words sunk in. His wrinkles folded over as he frowned on Pudding, Lettuce and Ichigo and his eyes widened in rage, showing the blood vessels in his eyes. All of the girls flinched, their eyes watering as Pudding took a step backwards before looking over at Mint.

'Pudding ruined everything na no da!' Pudding thought as some of the girls started to sob but Ichigo bowed deeply to the judges in front.

"We'll leave! Please let the others audition!" Ichigo begged.

"No! This audition is over!" The old woman screeched, holding her hands in a certain manner, as if to prevent her from breathing in the same air as An-Nin, looking down at him and Pudding with a harsh-edged glare.

"Please, all of you have a seat," Zakuro told them, taking off her glasses and looking at them with a professional smile, "This is all a big miss-understanding, no one meant to annoy or cause harm," Zakuro explained, looking over at the four girls before she got an unusual tingle along her blood vessels, her blood racing about as she looked on at them.

"Just an accident?" The old judge asked in English with a deep American accent, it caught the Mews by surprise as he slowly calmed down, "How is it?"

"This girl just wanted to support her friends, however her pet here didn't act properly, like most pets do," Zakuro slightly giggled as she spoke in English, "They have apologised and want to make amends, these traits make a girl survive in this business," Zakuro added.

"What makes you think that?" He asked in English as the four girls looked on in amazement.

"Well, you need to have close contacts, good friends to share celebrations and troubles with, a friend that will stand by you no matter what. They are humble and put others in front of their own needs, this is the type of role model that children need day," Zakuro explained and the judges nodded.

"However this is not how an audition goes, you know that yourself Zakuro… Perhaps you should show them how it is done?" He suggested as Zakuro laughed to herself.

"Sure, happily sir," Zakuro smiled as she took off her overcoat, heading up onto the catwalk. Mint looked on as Zakuro passed her on the stairs, her long, elegant hair wiped by, her opaline purple eyes staring at her intently as she walked to the start of the walk. All of the girls looked on, their eyes wide with amazement as Zakuro made her walk. Her hips moved perfectly, swaying from side to side so her black skirt twirled around perfectly, showing off her slender thighs. She flicked her hair over her shoulders, showing her proud and straight stance. Mint watched on, in awe of the way she projected her independent personality just from the way she walked, the way that she didn't falter and kept strong as she kept her shoulders back and back straight.

'This is Zakuro Onee-sama! The person that I admire over everyone else in the flesh and doing this for us!' Mint giggled as Zakuro finished her walk, the crowd of girls clapping and the judges cheering as she bowed at them all, a large smile on her face as she gave them one last glance before she made her way to the stairs, preparing to judge the remaining girls when she was blocked by Mint, her blue eyes glittering in admiration.

"Zakuro Onee-sama! You are the one! There is no denying it!" Zakuro glanced up at her, her eyebrow twitching at the fan girl in front of her but the annoyance was multiplied as this overpowering atmosphere hit her, sending strange pulses along her nervous system as something tingled, something itched. It pained and annoyed her to the core and it was all because of those four strange girls but it just intensified the more this fan spoke, "Have you been feeling strange? No! Have you found a strange mark on your body? That proves that your-" Mint asked when another pulse, a tide of pressure hit Zakuro and a surge ran up her body, as if a monster was trying to appear, to burst out and control Zakuro. She snorted as it finally got to her, she glared at Mint with heavy agitation and indifference as she forced her way passed her.

"I don't know what you are on about, I just want work to go smoothly, I'm not doing this for the benefit of you and your friends," Zakuro hissed as she walked back to her desk. Mint froze in her spot while Ichigo, Pudding and Lettuce were escorted outside, the guard watching An-Nin's closely and keeping his distance from him, jumping away if he made the slightest move. Mint's fingers began to tremble as she gazed on forward, her eyes watering over as the lungs worked in an uneven manner, her hands trembling as a slight blubber emitted from her expanding throat before a hand grabbed her shoulder and pulled her back. Mint gazed back to see the green and red gaze of Hitomi who looked over her with a pathetic gaze.

"Let's go Mint Ane-chan…." Hitomi hushed, throwing a harsh gaze at Zakuro from the shadows before she lead Mint out of the building along with the others.

* * *

"I wondered why Furaro would pick you," Sasujiro said as he flicked his long, deep blue hair over his shoulder. He looked over at the barred cave, darkness swallowing up every corner. He brushed his hand over the large, rectangular bars slowly, the ripped surface of the metal giving it an extra touch. Kish smiled mischievously and looked up at Sasujiro, showing off his long canine teeth.

"What? Did you think I was told to stand around and look pretty?" Kish joked, he leaned up against the stone carved wall in a flirtatious style and winked, "Because I could do that as well," He laughed as Sasujiro just rolled his eyes at him and looked at the control panel that was built into the wall and observed each of its options.

"That aside, I was wondering why you were so keen to see your adoptive kin that day… Is one of them a genius with computer science?" Sasujiro asked as he admired the work put into this.

"Yep, Pie is excellent that it and forming strategies. He is an excellent fighter, luckily he was born into both worlds, brawn and intelligence,"

"I guess you were given the lesser of both worlds? God must hate you," Sasujiro jeered half-playfully. Kish just gave one, quick, half-hearted laugh before pulling out his Sais.

"I don't know if Keeki-chan wants to be apart of this but we should get started tomorrow don't you think?" Kish asked, juggling them around without cutting or nicking his pale white skin.

"Yes, it sounds fun but I think I should lead this. I am the oldest and wisest it… I know the best target to go for first," Sasujiro pointed out, "After all, fate made it so that you didn't have as much of a brain up here as down there," Sasujiro sneered, pointing below Kish's waist.

"Hey, I may not be smart like you and you can tease me all you want Sasujiro, but you cannot deny that I was given a strength somewhere else…" Kish implied as he took another flirtatious stance. Sasujiro groaned, slapping his forehead.

"You can be a fricking idiot Kish," Sasujiro laughed as he walked passed him roughly, making his way to check on the Para Paban young as Kish laughed aloud to himself.

"You'll miss me one day," He joked, Sasujiro stopped and looked back at him before he took a breath.

"Sight of Snake," He hushed as he summoned a long, ancient-looking gun with a long barrel. Sasujiro aimed at Kish's head, right between his eyes that were filling with confusion and slight anxiety, watching his finger to see if it'll reach for the trigger before Sasujiro smiled.

"Not if someone bumps my elbow…" He laughed before he lowered his gun.

"That wasn't funny," Kish added as looked back at the prison-like cage that he had slaved over for the past week, "Well, let's start it shall we? Segregation-Cage?" Kish grinned.

'Mew Ichigo… I will get you and you will be mine…' Kish thought to himself as the kitten that plagued his mind reappeared, the image of her helpless under Kish was utterly addictive, torturing him to feel the real girl under his body.

* * *

**Zoey Hoshi:** Sorry, I couldn't help a Gears Of War reference. Sorry for the lack of updates, school and games kind of prevent creative thought.

**Masaya:** It seems I've been forgotten.

**Ryou:** No pretty boy, you just aren't important at the moment.

**Keiichiro:** Oh well, he can join us for tea then.

**Zoey Hoshi:** The shit hits the fan now…


	28. Inner Beast

**Author's Note**: Another update? It must be a miracle! Yes, I have pumped out another chapter of The Mew Project, half due to my sickness and a quarter has been finished for quite some time. I'm aiming to try to get half of the Zakuro arc done before the end of the month, since this arc stretches for quite a bit. This is were I can official say, "The shit hits the fan,". I am posting this quite late and I am really not well so I do apologise if there are spelling errors.

**Note:** I am Australian, and we have alternative ways of spelling certain words from America. Eg. Mum/Mom, -ise/-ize, -or/-uor etc.

I know it is a major pain to do this, but please leave comments/reviews etc. because it **really** does cheer me up, knowing that this story is actually read and liked by people. **Thank you and sorry for all this!**

* * *

**Chapter 28: Inner Beast**

Ichigo dropped her pen, groaning as she collapsed on top of her math book, giving up of the equations that she was working on. Her lone lamp gave her enough light to slave over her homework but she felt drained, every bit of her energy sucked from her. She picked up her phone, flipping it open and going to her messages to find nothing new.

'Hitomi and Mint haven't replied back to me…' Ichigo thought to herself. She stood up and collapsed on her bed, next to the sleeping Masha when her phone vibrated. Ichigo dived for it, yet it was from an unknown number, not Mint or Hitomi's. She opened it up and was surprised who the sender was, Masaya.

'Good Evening, sorry if I woke you up Momomiya-san. I hope that you're safe and okay after what happened last time. Take it easy and I hope to see you cheering me on at practice in the morning, Aoyama,'

'He texted me! Oh my gosh! He texted me! Also, he is worried about me-' Her thoughts stopped as she figured out what he meant, 'That day at the zoo… He must have been really worried… After all, people… died…' Ichigo curled up and turned around to face her wall. 'People died… If only I transformed quicker! If only I didn't hesitate… Maybe I could have saved them, it's all my fault…' She curled up tighter as a plague of dark, taunting thoughts infested her mind. Masha's eyes blinked open as he sensed Ichigo's change in mood. He purred at her sympathetically, flying over to her face and nuzzling at her cheek.

"Ichigo… Don't cry, Don't cry," He hushed. Ichigo looked up at her little companion and reached out for him, bring the little thing closer to her.

"Thank you Masha… I just feel so bad… People are in trouble and I cannot even tell Aoyama-kun about it, I'll lying right to him and he doesn't even know…" Ichigo told Masha, "I just wish that this wasn't happening…" However the silence that wrapped around them was cut short when Masha's eyes blinked brightly and a mechanical whirling accompanied it.

"Ichigo! Ichigo! Transform! Chimera Anima! Alien!" Masha reported, Ichigo sat up, alarm rising in her gut as her blood began to race. She grabbed the Mew Pendent, holding down the middle heart, which activated an alarm that spread to all of the other Mew Pendants in the area.

"Where are they?" Ichigo said before she kissed her pendent, beginning to trigger her transformation.

* * *

Hitomi sat up with a start, her strange eyes staring widely as ripped the blankets away and stood up. She ran over to her window that overlooked the main street that led to the heart of Tokyo's Central Business District. Heavy clouds covered the moon and stars, preventing any light from hitting the ground so that darkness could rule over the streets and city. Hitomi looked around, trying to pin point the whereabouts of the energy she had sensed.

'She is out there… Zakuro is out there…' She could see that flare of purple energy in her mind, it was impossible to miss as it continued to pester Hitomi. Every night, it woke Hitomi up and kept her restless. Hitomi glanced over at her phone, considering to text the others about this, after all it won't stop until she joins the team. 'Would she though? I can't think like that. She is restless… Her human side is clashing with her animal again but it seems to be more violent than ever… Perhaps is it because she met us? Or has she gone on ignoring her new DNA to the point that her ignorance will cause her to break?' Hitomi picked up her phone, read messages from Ichigo had filled up her inbox. Guilt hit her that she hadn't replied to her, knowing Ichigo she was probably worried about her. 'It's all Zakuro's fault… If she wasn't around then…' Hitomi stopped herself before she smacked herself in the head several times. 'I say that I dislike the upper class for how they look down on others… but am I starting to do that? Goddamnit! Why must this happen to me?' Hitomi screamed at herself mentally. Her whole purpose in the team was to find the other Mews and everyone knows that however, after what happened at the modeling agency when Ichigo and Lettuce asked Hitomi whether Zakuro was a Mew Mew… 'I didn't tell them… I didn't even tell them that she was… Why did I do that?' Hitomi thought to herself when another flash of Ki caught her attention. She turned back around, a sickly green yellow lighting up in her mind as she recognised this particular Ki.

"Kish… He is here… And he is close to Zakuro… Oh no…"

* * *

Zakuro stood in front of Calum's family church, considering whether to enter the place or not while her heart thudded in her chest uncontrollably. It was an almost erratic heartbeat, jumping around, trying to escape her rib cage that kept it closed in, kept it subdued. She put some more pressure on her chest, her blood racing around her body, it gave off a strange energy that made every cell in her body shiver.

"What is wrong with me? What happened to me!" Zakuro yelled out aloud, her voice echoing in the deserted street. A surge of energy ran up her thighs, making her knees knock together and her limbs jump. She fell to the ground, her body beginning to shiver as a gnawing ball of trembling energy starting to grow in her stomach, pulsating with a strange strength. It felt as if it was a demented creature, consuming everything inside of her so she was just a shivering shell of herself. She swallowed hard, an attempt to subdue the beast inside of her but the energy only wanted to repeal any attempts to control it.

'_I've been living in a cage and controlled my whole life. You cannot ignore me…_' A command ran through her mind as another surge ran through her body.

"What is wrong with me? What's wrong with me for fuck sake!" Zakuro screamed as a screech rang over the dark sky. It sounded distorted by pain, it made Zakuro tremble as it echoed in her mind. She pushed herself up as she gazed around, shadows creating a dark atmosphere as another reverberating screech sounded. Zakuro took a step towards the church, still searching when she heard the fluttering of wings, it was quiet yet deep, as if created by something big. She looked up behind the church to see a large crow-like creature looking down at her with yellow, beady eyes. Its wings were massively out of proportion to the rest of its body, stretching over the church and at the main joint on its wing were raptor-like fingers, curling around the wings and finished off with sharp, deadly claws. Zakuro's voice disappeared, she made a silent scream as she stumbled backwards away from the church. The Great Chimera Crow Anima looked at her, its pupils contracting as it focused on her and let out a bloodcurdling screech, its black beak opening up widely to show an unnatural set of sharp teeth inside its mouth. Its call brought in more Crow Animas but they were a lot smaller that the Great Crow Anima and were just visible as a large black cloud, swarming with Chimera Animas. Zakuro shuffled back, making little gasps as she tried to breathe, tried to scream but nothing came out. The swarm of Crow Animas came closer, the large, raptor-like one the ringleader of them all, calling them and controlling them.

"Oh look, you did find a human… Although, it's only one, defenceless girl," Kish jeered Zakuro as he appeared, walking along the top of the church. He patted the crow creature's head and looked at her harshly, his eyes burning into hers with uncontrollable hatred. Zakuro felt another surge run up her, she cupped her mouth at the sensation of it running up her throat and Kish just laughed, "This will be interesting, make her suffer and kill her," Kish commanded and the swarm of Crow Animas descended on Zakuro who looked at Kish and then to the crows.

'_Fight them! Fight them! Don't sit down like a helpless pup! Fight them, kill them and then get that son of a bitch for entering your territory and looking down on you!_' An inner voice snarled at her. Zakuro flinched at it before she frowned, looking at the Chimera Animas and at this other voice in distaste and hatred.

"It's all your fault!" She hissed.

"Ribbon Lettuce Rush!" Mew Lettuce yelled, throwing the fury of water at the Animas. Some dodged, flying high into the air while others where blasted, shrieking in pain as the razor water and the burning light emitting from it chewed at them. Kish hissed, half in annoyance but also in joy.

"Ah, my play-toys are here," He laughed as Mew Lettuce and Mew Pudding ran along the dark road to Zakuro's side.

"Are you okay Zakuro-san?" Mew Lettuce asked quietly as Mew Pudding glared up at Kish although her yellow eyes burned brightly with joy. Her pent up energy was bursting out, making each cell tremble with excitement and sheer power.

"Kish, how dare you prey on people like this na no da!" Mew Pudding screamed, she slammed her Pudding Ring together, ringing it around as she aimed them at Kish.

"Don't get carried away now," Kish smiled as he saw the little Crow Animas reform in their swarm and drop down to the two mews and the stunned Zakuro, who looked at Mew Lettuce and then to Mew Pudding. The more she looked at them, the more that inner ball of energy burned, the more it clawed away at her. It pained her to look at them, to be in the presence of these strange, animal-like girls yet just them standing beside her, how they flanked her protectively comforted her. It made her whole…

'What is going on?' She thought to herself as she pulled up her gray, long sleeve shirt to look at the strange scar around her belly button as the voice stirred again in her conscious.

'_You know, you know very well… Stop denying it, stop it right now. STOP IGNORING ME! STOP IGNORING WHO YOU ARE!_' It commanded as the yellow girl spun her tambourine like rings around her wrist.

"Ribbon Pudding Coin!" Mew Pudding yelled, throwing a large disk of yellow energy around them, it proceeded to roll around them like a coin, wobbling around as it lost energy. "Now Mew Lettuce na no da," Pudding whispered as Mew Lettuce aimed her castanets down the road. The Crow Animas stopped in their tracks, avoiding the heated coin as Kish looked on, impressed by this quick thinking.

"This is so fun!" Kish laughed as he watched the Pudding Coin loose power, fading away, "Although, rash thinking is your weak spot," Kish sneered.

"Ribbon Lettuce Shaft," Mew Lettuce whispered, creating a large pillar of green blue water. It blasted the Pudding Coin to the side, taking out a few of the Animas, the Para Parai escaping into the night sky as Mew Pudding pulled the wide-eyed Zakuro into the Lettuce Shaft, sending her down the street.

"No, it's your weakness na no da!" Mew Pudding jeered back as she and Mew Lettuce jumped into it and were propelled swiftly down the street and into the darkness. Kish stood up, commanding all the remaining swarm to him when a bright light glowed from behind him. Kish turned around to see Mew Mint flying in the night sky and in her grasp was Mew Ichigo, her feet dangling while she aimed her Strawberry Bell straight at Kish, the glass heart glowing brightly. The interlacing white light had completely covered her and Mew Mint, protecting them and sending massive amounts of power straight to Mew Ichigo, who glared at Kish, her pink eyes glittering with hatred for the boy in front of her.

"RIBBON STRAWBERRY CHECK!" She screamed, letting her attack loose. Kish didn't have any time to react as the beam of pink light hit him square in the chest, the pressure was the first thing he felt, as if a large stone was pushing down on him. This sent him flying back, pushing him and his large Chimera Crow of the roof of the small church and over the road. He felt the burning of the light's heat, it was much more than he expect. His Great Chimera Crow slammed into a building, sending it and Kish down to the street below. Kish slammed onto the pavement, but he had braced himself for it, but the Anima fell on top of him, crushing him into the pavement. The weight of the Chimera Crow ticked Kish off, along with the throbbing of his chest, his vest had been burnt away only leaving some lightly scorched skin on his chest.

"Get off me!" Kish commanded and the Chimera Crow fluttered up, slightly stunned by the slam into the building. Luckily for it, Kish had been dealt with the full blast of Mew Ichigo's attack, leaving it unscathed. Kish stumbled up and observed his body. He ran his cold hand over the reddening skin on his chest, it pulsated and stung under his palm. This made him chuckle to himself softly, "Clever… Gather the remaining swarm, tell them to search the city for them," Kish commanded the Great Chimera Crow. It nodded its head before opening its beak and letting out a shrill cry.

* * *

"Sorry for that Zakuro-san," Mew Lettuce said as she made the Lettuce Shaft disappear, "We had to get out of there fast," She explained as Mew Pudding shook herself, trying to get the water off her body. Zakuro crept away from them, her wet clothes sticking to her shivering body.

"What is going on! Tell me!" Zakuro demanded as Mew Mint flew down, letting Mew Ichigo go gently and Hitomi appeared from the shadows, eyeing Zakuro down judgingly and searching her eyes. It made Zakuro jump a little, the hot trickling feeling it gave Zakuro along the back of her neck unnerved her a little but she held her gaze.

"That was amazing Mew Ichigo na no da!" Mew Pudding cheered, running up to the pink Mew Mew and hugging her tightly.

"Thank you for keeping him distracted Mew Pudding," She replied, smiling at the young Mew Mew, "It felt good to finally get back at him,"

"WHAT IS GOING ON?" Zakuro cut in, snapping the girls out of their celebration.

"We were getting to that," Hitomi harshly replied, "However Fujiwara, you know the answer deep down already,"

'_I do…_' The inner voice replied but Zakuro looked at her, irritated and confused at her statement. Mew Ichigo looked over at Mew Mint, who was looking on at Zakuro with large eyes but she was hesitant to approach her after what happened at the audition. The cat girl gave the blue Mew Mew a reassuring nod and a gentle smile, giving Mew Mint that extra push to approach the purple haired model.

"Zakuro Onee-sama, it's us, the group of girls from the other day," Mew Mint started, at this statement Zakuro stumbled backwards, looking over at the four girls and instantly recognising them.

'The girl with the monkey, the one that begged for the audition to go along, the silent one and… The fan girl… It really is them!' She felt another surge of power run up her spine as she swallowed hard.

"It may be hard to believe but you have seen it with your eyes, our planet is under attack. We are chosen warriors, fate as chosen us to protect everything on this planet," Mew Mint explained as Zakuro's lip began to tremble, "Right now, you have animal DNA inside of you and that gives you incredible powers!" She said and on cue, Masha flew over the frozen model and opened his mouth, forming her Mew Pendent and dropping it down onto the ground in front of her, "You're just like us… A Mew Mew, you're Mew Zakuro!" Mew Mint smiled as Zakuro shook her head side to side in disbelief.

"No… That can't be true…" Zakuro murmured. Mew Mint blinked at her and shook her head.

"It is, it's hard to believe it but you are… You can sense something else deep down can't you?" Mew Mint continued as the ball of energy expanded, clawing at Zakuro's body in an attempt to escape.

"NO!" Zakuro screamed, holding her head as she slumped down on the ground, her body shivered and trembling as memories welled to the surface. The dreams that were just as realistic as memories… They were real and the feelings that rushed through her body and the way she viewed everything and subdued to Calum. It all made sense but to Zakuro… She didn't want it to. She wanted to be normal.

'It all started that day, that dream with that wolf clawing open my stomach… Back then…' She thought, her body rocked with a strange, internal conflict.

"Zakuro-san, please," Mew Ichigo added as a shriek sounded.

"Chimera Anima! Coming!" Masha alarmed them as Mew Mint approached Zakuro, placing her hands softly on her shoulders.

"Please! Zakuro Onee-sama… No, Mew Zakuro!" She pleaded as Zakuro looked passed her purple bangs, her purple eyes shining with hatred.

"If you didn't exist, I would be a normal girl!" She snarled with a deep canine voice. Mew Mint jumped a little as Zakuro's breathing became laboured and deep. Zakuro felt the deep twisting wolf inside her, surfacing as she glared at the five girls in front of her. Her Mew Pendent began to shine, to pulsate as Zakuro's emotions flared. Her body jumped and began to spasm, "If you didn't exist… I would… I WOULD…AGHHHHH!" She screamed as she broke, her mind broke from her, "MEW MEW ZAKURO METAMORPHOSIS!" She screamed, triggering her transformation, her inner wolf, her beast unleashed. Her fingers curled around, her cells tingling as she felt her nails grow and her clenched teeth grew into a more canine appearance. She growled as her ears morphed into pointed wolf ears and thick white and gray fur grew from each pore. Her muscles bulged with power and her tailbone grew, skin stretching over it before the thick fur covered it. She felt her clothes disappear as a hot yet soothing light covered her body. The purple light crafted her loose fitting, purple short shorts and a matching short, purple tube top with light purple lace rimmed around the top. Then the customary armbands, garter on the left leg and choker formed. Light wrapped around her legs, making thigh length, purple boots and two soft wrist bands before the light faded away, leaving Mew Zakuro, the last Mew Mew.

"We are all together!" Mew Mint blubbered, looking over Mew Zakuro, "I knew that you would look amaz-" Her words were cut short as Mew Zakuro fastened her hands around her throat, pushed her down to the ground. Mew Mint tried to the scream, try to make a noise but Mew Zakuro's fingers were digging into her throat, preventing any noise from escaping.

"This is all your fault! If you didn't exist! AGHGHH!" She howled as the Mews took a step back. Mew Mint flailed about as Mew Zakuro began to cut off her windpipe. Fear gripped Mew Mint harshly, eating away at her fingers and toes before moving up to her erratically beating heart. Her eyes watered as she looked up at her idol, the one she adored turn into a blood thirsty mongrel and her words repeated in her throbbing ears.

'This is my fault?' She thought hopelessly, tears falling down her cheeks.

"What's happening?" Mew Lettuce wailed, fear taking over her control as Mew Pudding watched on, fear and misunderstanding holding her in place. Mew Zakuro may be half human but Mew Pudding's DNA knew that she was part wolf, other words, part predator. Mew Zakuro bared her teeth at Mew Mint, snarling and crouched over Mew Mint as if she was a kill by a cruel wolf while her pupils contracted to a pin-point, disappearing in a sea of glittering hatred.

'Just like that day… Hitomi said it was because of the Lorikeet DNA… Is this a side effect of the Mew Project!' Ichigo thought as Hitomi threw her weight against Mew Zakuro, releasing Mew Mint who lay on the ground paralyzed, her lips trembling as she gasped for air.

"You fucking bitch Fujiwara, I hate you," Hitomi yelled back at Mew Zakuro, "You aren't a Mew Mew, you are a fucking beast! You are a monster," Hitomi sneered at Mew Zakuro who crouched on her knees, flattening her ears and pointing her tail between her legs. She growled at the Mews and Hitomi, baring her teeth as Mew Lettuce grabbed Mew Pudding's shoulder.

"Her wolf DNA has completely taken over her…" Mew Ichigo murmured as the swarm of Chimera Crows descended upon them. They pecked at the girls, their raptor claws raking them and grazing their skin as they swooped by.

"Found yo-" Kish paused as his eyes fell on Mew Zakuro, "There's another one…?" He murmured as glowing purple eyes rested on him.

"Zakuro Whip!" Zakuro summoned her weapon, it appeared in her hand in a flash of light. It had the appearance of a normal baton until the heart blinked, power accumulating in the weapon as Mew Zakuro prepared her attack, glaring right at Kish. It then changed, taking on the shape of a cross with the normal yellow ribbon and pink-glass heart design in the middle. The glass heart had her Mew Mark inside, two crescent moons either side along with two marks that roughly resembled a howling wolf head and tail. She bunched her muscles up before she jumped into the air, towards Kish and his Great Chimera Anima.

"Ribbon Pudding Coin!" Mew Pudding threw another glowing disk of yellow light through the swarm of Crow Animas as Hitomi pulled Mew Mint to her feet, swinging her arm under the blue Mew Mew's shoulder before shuffling off with her.

"Ribbon Zakuro Pure!" Mew Zakuro yelled, a long whip-like stream of purple energy appeared out of the Zakuro Whip. She wrapped the whip of energy around the thin neck of the Great Chimera Anima and pulled in down swiftly, sending it straight to the road before she dropped back down, preparing another Zakuro Pure, whipping it into the air above her and using the momentum and force of her decent, she whipped it down powerfully and straight through the middle of the Great Chimera Crow. The blade of the purple attack cut straight through the Chimera Anima, flushing of the Para Para quickly. Kish stared in amazement as his Chimera Anima disappeared, destroyed in front of him by an inexperienced Mew Mew.

"What the hell!" Kish exclaimed when another streak of purple light wrapped around his ankle. It burned through his tough fabric boots yet it wasn't a brute, and blunt force and power like the Strawberry Check, it was a more acute pain. The wolf girl then brought her arm down, sending Kish plummeting to the ground. His shoulder slammed into the ground, followed by his face and pain ran along his skin and muscles. He knew that a bruise was blossoming on his cheekbone and his shoulder but he didn't lay down, thanks to the Anti-G anklets he jumped up and swooped over to the purple Mew Mew, "Dragon Swords!" He summoned his Sais and in one movement, swept them up her arm, cutting lightly over her skin but his main target was her Zakuro Whip. He disarmed her, the Zakuro Whip sliding across the ground as Kish roundhouse kicked Mew Zakuro in her stomach, sending her sliding across the ground but he teleported behind her and with a strong move, kicked her up in the gut. She clamped her stomach in pain when she fell to the ground only to have Kish claw at her purple hair, pulling her up to look her squarely at the slowly dilating pupils. He brought one Sai up, aiming for her jugular when a foot slammed around the back of his head powerfully, releasing Mew Zakuro. Kish got hold of his footing to see Mew Pudding, lowering her body as she made a threatening martial artist stance, holding her Pudding Ring in her hands and preparing to attack.

"Whatcha' going to do Kish na no da?" Mew Pudding asked as Kish rubbed his bruised cheek.

"Heh, my Great Chimera Anima is dead, so I'll see you later," Kish said, retreating back to his base as Mew Zakuro started to come to her senses. Mew Lettuce and Mew Ichigo finished off the remaining Crow Anima Swarm and turned to Mew Zakuro who was looking at her arm. Kish had made a long, clean cut from her mid-upper arm to her forearm. Crimson blood trickled down slowly but she could smell it, the rusty, metallic scent of her own blood and it was absorbed into her nose. She rubbed her nose but it stuck in there. She ran a hand through her hair, dirt clinging to it and crow feather fluff trapped within it but she whipped her hand away as she felt the flattened canine ears. She began to shiver as everything played out, the way she attacked Mew Mint, the emotions that boiled her blood and the way she mercilessly attacked the Great Chimera Crow and Kish and she began to tremble.

"Mew Zakuro?" Mew Pudding echoed, cautiously approaching her.

"NO! NO! I'M ZAKURO FUJIWARA! NOTHING BUT ZAKURO FUJIWARA!" Zakuro screamed, picking herself up as Mew Ichigo approached her.

"Mew Zakuro, I know its hard, none of us want this," Mew Ichigo reasoned with her as Mew Pudding looked off to the side.

"Mew Pudding wants it na no da…" She murmured, Mew Ichigo just skipped over her comment.

"But we have to do this, after this, we'll return to normal. You are one of us, our fifth member!" Mew Ichigo said as Mew Zakuro looked down at the ground, gaining complete control of her mind.

"How stupid," She snarled, Mew Pudding tensed up, preparing to fight if the unstable Mew was to attack her, "If I had to fight this, I can do it by myself but I have a choice… I can just ignore this and continue my normal life. I don't need to be friends with annoying, stupid girls like you," Mew Zakuro said. The Mews stood their in silence while Mew Zakuro pelted off into the darkness.

"But… We need everyone…" Mew Ichigo murmured as the sound of police sirens broke through the night air. The pink Mew Mew shook her head and looked back on the other two, "Let's get out of here, we better report to Shirogane and Akasaka-san immediately," Mew Ichigo said as she and other Mews ran off in the direction of the Café.

* * *

"Mew Mint, are you okay?" Hitomi asked as Mew Mint looked up at her, tears falling down her cheeks. Her blue eyes were hazed over, despondent as she looked at the blonde haired girl. Mew Mint slowly nodded before breaking into more tears. Hitomi wrapped her arms around her shaking frame.

"It's all… It's all…" Mew Mint blubbered as Hitomi held her tighter.

"It's okay, we are away from her now…" Hitomi shushed but Mew Mint pushed away from her.

"No! You don't understand, it's all my fault!" Mew Mint cried as Hitomi sat there in shock.

"You can't be serious, she attacked you, she ignored her other DNA and brought this on herself and it hurt us," Hitomi said as a screech sounded behind them. She spun around to see a lone Chimera Crow as it dived toward Hitomi. She jumped out of the way, throwing herself on the ground however the Anima easily changed its direction and dived on Hitomi clawing at the back of her shoulders and neck, ripping through Hitomi's white shirt easily. Mew Mint was fazed for a second, just watching Hitomi scream and squirm before she stood up.

"Mint Arrow," She summoned and pulled back the bow, aiming for the Anima, "Ribbon Mint Echo!" She shot the Anima, the heat of the attack flushing out he weak Para Para which floating away however the Mint Echo had continued and dug it's way into Hitomi's back, creating a high pitch scream as it dug into her back.

"Get it out! Get it out! It hurts!" She cried, the sharp stab in her back spreading its heat through her body. Mew Mint stumbled over, her limbs still numb as she gripped the blue arrow and pulled it out of her body, leaving Hitomi cringing as she pushed herself. She looked back at the blank Mew Mint who was still murmuring.

"It's all my fault, Zakuro Onee-sama is going through so much pain right now and it-" Hitomi's hand slapped harshly across Mew Mint's cheek. Mew Mint looked at Hitomi who was glaring at her furiously.

"Onee-sama, Onee-sama, I'm sick of that fucking bullshit!" Hitomi yelled at Mew Mint, "She is a stuck-up, rude, self-righteous bitch!" Mew Mint's shocked expression turned to slight anger as Hitomi glared at her, "She has been prancing around this whole city without a care in the world! She has been living it up, safe and sound while here we are risking our lives every single day. Onee-sama? Frick, I get not one bit of fucking appreciation from you and here I am, risking my life for you!" Hitomi pointed at Mew Mint who stood up defencively.

"I'm actually fighting here," Mew Mint hissed.

"I have fought and I'm a human! You have another identity, a transformation to protect yourself. Me? Nothing! They could come after me whenever they want!" Hitomi hissed as Mew Mint crossed her arms and looked at her cruelly.

"I'm protecting you!"

"You weren't doing a fucking good job then were you?" Hitomi pointed out, "Having a nice little show were you? Like watching Hitomi get attacked helplessly?"

"What a mood swing! You were comforting me just before," Mew Mint pointed out as Hitomi stamped her foot.

"This has been bugging me, whenever you say Onee-sama, it ticks me off! It has just accumulated over these few days. Also, Fujiwara treats you like dirt, she is so cruel but you just accept it! It annoys me!" Hitomi said as Mew Mint rolled her eyes.

"You joined us on purpose, you didn't have to tag along and help us. If you just didn't investigate us you wouldn't be in this mess. All you can do is blame yourself," Mew Mint blankly said as Hitomi furrowed her brow, tears rimming her eyes.

"You know why I investigated you Mint?" Hitomi said, dropping Mew Mint's title and her admiration, "I did it because I was worried about you. I knew something had happened, I knew you were in trouble. I saw you as my friend, a sister I never had, I even looked up to you for your ballet skill! I was worried! I couldn't ignore the atmosphere around you, I couldn't go on pretending nothing was up. I followed you and found out the most incredible thing… That you were a superhero, you now had this incredible weight on your shoulders, you're a guardian of Aquisfera! Of our planet! Our home, everything we know is in trouble and how can you turn your back on that? How can you just ignore that and go on with your merry little life? I have a power that I was born with, sure it's unstable and I cannot control it like they can in myths and cartoons but its still something. I wanted to help you! To make sure that you were okay, to help all of the Mew Mews, that's why I tag along, that's why! I care about you Mew Mint…" Hitomi cried as Mew Mint looked at her blankly.

"Why did you think I need help? I'm able to look after myself," Mew Mint stubbornly said, "What made you think we are friends also?" These harsh words caught Hitomi off guard, she sniffed as she looked at Mew Mint.

"We hang out together, we talk to each other and share our secrets… We are friends…"

"I only talked to a vulgar girl like you because my father told me not to, our 'friendship' was just a measly experiment to defy my father," Mew Mint admitted yet deep down something didn't feel right, something resonating at her heart. Hitomi sobbed, her breathing laboured as Mew Mint's words sunk in, she stumbled up, blood trickling down her back, tensing up her muscles with her every move but she ignored it and began to walk away, back turned to Mew Mint.

"I knew it, all you rich people are the same… but I thought that you were different," She murmured, "I don't want to become like you Aizawa!" She hissed at her, "Don't even bother to come to me for help then if you don't need it! I swear to this day, I'll never use it ever again if it's so useless to you guys. I'll become blind to my powers just like a normal girl…" Hitomi hissed, her cries distorting her tone every now and then. Without another word, she ran off to the darkness. Mew Mint watched her go, her skin trembling as a strange clash of emotions fought inside of her. She felt the crushing pain of guilt, Zakuro's words imprinted onto her brain and echoed in her head. The cold shivering of fear as she remembered how Mew Zakuro glared at her, baring her sharp, white canine teeth as she snarled at her. A light flare of anger burned away, dulled by the fear and guilt but as she remembered Hitomi's words against Zakuro, it threatened to flare up. However, at the thought of Hitomi, another blow of guilt and a gripping feeling around her heart joined the fray. It tugged at her and made her want to rewind that fight and take back her words but it was the truth wasn't it?

Mew Mint started to walk in the opposite direction. She knew the others would have gone to Café Mew Mew but Mew Mint just wanted to lay down on her bed, curl up and sleep. She padded through the streets of Tokyo, her blue gaze dropped down to the ground as she walked half aimlessly. She could fly, she would be home in no time but her legs just carried her away when her head bumped into something. She stopped, looking up to see waist long, deep, dull aquamarine hair and an extremely tall and lean figure.

"Oh? It's past midnight, so I guess we can start now," A male voice said, Mew Mint looked up to see a silver gun barrel poke her in the forehead, its cold touch chilling her. She heard a chuckle and could make out two, elf-like ears before he pulled the trigger and she was instantly pulled into an unconscious sleep-like darkness.

* * *

**Zoey Hoshi:** Cock tease! It's a cliffhanger!

**Ryou:** You won't update now for a while, tease all of us endless why don't you?

**Zoey Hoshi:** No… I'll try to update as soon as I can

**Keiichiro**: Want some tea?

**Zoey Hoshi:** I'm fine.


	29. Restless Tremors

**Author's Note**: Argh! Late update! I'm so sorry! To be honest, I'm trying to break through a bit of writer's block right now due to migraines, being overworked and family issues, don't we all love them! Next chapter is 30, where this was supposed to ended but it's going for another 10 at least.

**Note:** I am Australian, and we have alternative ways of spelling certain words from America. Eg. Mum/Mom, -ise/-ize, -or/-uor etc.

I know it is a major pain to do this, but please leave comments/reviews etc. because it **really** does cheer me up, knowing that this story is actually read and liked by people. **Thank you and sorry for all this!**

* * *

**Chapter 29: Restless Tremors**

Ichigo glanced over at the empty table, a fine china tea set sat in the middle of it, unused and the steam slowly moving up as it began to cool. Conversations, the clicking of cutlery on china plates and the buzz of several customs were lost to Ichigo, drifting off in space. Ichigo looked up at the clock, watching the seconds tick painfully by, the knot in her stomach twisting and churning in anxiety.

'After what happened, how can I not worry?' She sighed and walked into the kitchen, hoping to escape the vacant table. Keiichiro gave her a warm, sympathetic smile before he put on Café Mew Mew styled oven mitts and pulled out a tray of pastries, preparing to fill them with whipped cream and assorted fruits. Ichigo wondered if Keiichiro was preparing to release Café Mew Mew brands while on the other side of the kitchen, Ryou quietly washed up alone, his piercing blue eyes unreadable. Ichigo stopped dead at the large space beside him, gazing forward as she was lost in anxious confusion, 'Hitomi… Mint… Where are you?'

"Ichigo-san," Lettuce piped up as she walked in the kitchen to find Ichigo standing still, frozen in place. Ichigo turned to see her friend with a kind gaze. Unlike Ryou's illegible gaze, Ichigo's was plain and clear, "What's wrong?" She asked anyway, wondering if she would be rude to speak out.

"I can't help but worry about them… They both aren't here and I can't contact them via mobile phone," Ichigo murmured. She pulled out her phone, glancing at her empty inbox and Lettuce looked down as she pondered what to say back. Lettuce knew she would be lying to Ichigo if she told her not to worry, after what happened that night, Lettuce was sure that they all had worries about what have happened. They all had their own theories, their own ideas of what might Mint was going through. However Hitomi's absence was strange. Lettuce slowly grasped Ichigo's free hand, pulling it up so she could hold it while staring directly at Ichigo's gaze.

"Ichigo-san, let's work extra hard in their place, this work isn't going to disappear," She said, hoping that working would take Ichigo's mind of the matter. Ichigo gave Lettuce a sad smile as Keiichiro passed her a dish to take out. Unfortunately work would have to continue as long as customers walked in yet never did they get enough customers to clear off Mint's table, leaving the tea set alone, waiting for its master. Every time Ichigo passed the tea set, that thought came into her mind again.

'Mint… Her idol, the person she admired attacked her… I wouldn't doubt that if Hitomi and Kish didn't come along she might have even killed her. That isn't something you can sleep off and Hitomi on the other hand, I don't know how she must feel now… Why isn't she here?' Ichigo wondered as she continued to work. The rest of the shift seemed to drift by, like a lost boat drifting on a misty ocean. To Ichigo, it just felt like a dream, like nothing was real and she would wake up at school, the teacher giving her a rant about sleeping in class. Every time she took out an order she was scared that it would just slip through her hands and shatter on the ground.

Pudding ran out of the front door, taking a glimpse of the orange sunset before picking up the menu sign that sat on the brick path, slinging in under her arm and ran up to the closed café. Ichigo sighed and collapsed on the table, taking Mint's place as she watched the now cold teapot. Pudding watched her, curious of her before she turned to Lettuce.

"Lettuce Onee-chan, what's wrong with Ichigo Onee-chan na no da? Is she worried about…" Pudding stopped as Lettuce nodded, knowing what Pudding was going to say. Pudding glanced back over at her before she ran over to Ichigo, looking up at her with large, yellow eyes. "Ichigo Onee-chan, you can't worry about this forever or you'll make other's worried and what will Mint Onee-chan say when she gets back na no da?" That was a good question, Ichigo could picture Mint sitting in her exact spot, one leg over the other as she sipped her tea delicately. Her blue gaze would glitter proudly and cruelly.

"_Oh you were worried about me?" _

'She would say something like that wouldn't she?' Ichigo groaned as Pudding trotted away to get changed, Lettuce herding her. Pudding latched onto her arm, swing around happily like the child she was. Ichigo shook her head, trying to shake this feeling from her and just act more like Pudding, 'I have to stop worrying about this. Yes, what happened to her was bad, it was horrible but look at the facts Ichigo! Hitomi is probably with her right now comforting her, that's why she isn't here and no matter what Zakuro-san has said, we will eventually get her to join and then everything…' Ichigo's thoughts trailed off at that, 'How do we get her to join? How? She has rejected everything about her Wolf DNA, how could we get her to accept it?' Ichigo sat back up as that comment of her repeated in her head, 'She's rejected her DNA and everyone else here has accepted it. Pudding loves it, Lettuce seems to like it a lot now but she initially rejected it as well. Mint refused the idea but… It's made her stuck-up personality worse now that she has an extreme importance to our planet. What about me?' Ichigo thought about that for a second, her throat tightening up, 'What about me? I can't wait to become normal so… Aren't I in the same boat as Zakuro?'

"You know one day you'll get kidnapped and you won't even notice because your head is in the clouds to much," Ryou teased as he appeared behind Ichigo. Her ears popped up as alarm ran up her spine like electricity, jolting her out of her musing. She lowered her eyebrows and a slight rumble sounded in her throat, warning him almost.

"Don't go that again!" She mumbled angrily.

"Do what? Give you advice? Okay then your loss," Ryou added, smirking proudly as Ichigo throbbed with anger. He just laughed once at her frustrated expression before he rested hand on her head, ruffling his hand through her pink, straightened hair. At first this irritated Ichigo, a hiss escaping her mouth as she thought of what her hair would look like after when she realised it was comforting, "You've been thinking to hard about Mint and Hitomi haven't you? Don't worry to much but I guess that's who you are and that's the reason why you're the best for The Mew Project…" He praised her quietly. Ichigo's eyes opened wide at this rare praise and how caring he was acting.

'I thought he was just a big jerk!' The action was gentle almost and it reminded her of something, she had felt this feeling before. Ryou smiled kindly at her, breaking his cold exterior yet again before he walked off to the Café.

"Nice parenting," Keiichiro commented as Ryou walked by him. He flashed him a warning similar to Ichigo's beforehand and walked up to his bedroom. The girl's locker room door opened up as Lettuce and Pudding walked out. Lettuce flustered a bit as her emerald eyes caught his icy blue. He felt a twinge of uneasiness, his heart pulsating with a strange warmth. He walked by her and patted her shoulder.

"Don't stress about it too much," He quietly told her, "Go home and rest," Pudding only just noticing this small exchange, smiling to herself as Lettuce held a hand to her chest as if to hold her thumping heart inside her chest. Lettuce and Pudding walked down to Ichigo, sitting down at the table as well.

"Ichigo-san, what should we do about Zakuro-san?" Lettuce asked and Ichigo sighed.

"I don't know… We have to get her to join no matter what," Ichigo mumbled, "But, how can we get her to listen to us? After all that happened…"

"There is only one option left na no da," Pudding declared, clenching her fists as she looked forward with a determined glint in her eyes, "We fight her into it na no da!"

"Pudding-san… We can't fight her," Lettuce flustered as Pudding pouted.

"She attacked Mint Onee-chan and she doesn't want to join so she is an enemy na no da!" Pudding pointed out.

"Don't think like that… We have to get her to join somehow but… we should focus on Hitomi and Mint right now…" Ichigo said as a clock chimed, signaling that it was seven o'clock. Ichigo stood up, alarm running up her body, "Damnit! I gotta get home or my dad will have my head!" Ichigo whimpered, running off to the change room when something clicked. Her dad's wide grin as he looked at her proudly and his hand running through her hair to calm her down, to comfort her.

'That's where! My dad does that to me!' She thought, stopping dead, 'So… Why did Shirogane do that?'

* * *

"Ichigo? What's wrong?" Miwa asked as Ichigo looked out of the window in a daze. Ichigo turned her pink eyes to Miwa before smiling at her.

"I'm fine, just tired," Ichigo murmured to her before blankly looking forward.

'Mint and Hitomi still haven't come into work or have they messaged me… What's wrong? There is something wrong isn't there?' Ichigo thought and Miwa sighed, unconvinced by Ichigo's lazy and dry reply before she turned to Moe who shrugged her shoulders.

"Ichigo," Moe knelt on the floor and her torso lazed on Ichigo's desk. Ichigo looked at her, Moe giving off a gentle, serene and concerned aura, "For a week or two, you have been acting quite strange and we hardly even see you! Whatever what's left with you," Moe added quietly however unfortunately with her heighten hearing it was like she had screamed it into her ears, echoing throughout her head. Her heart fluttered at the comment, nerves trembling, vice grips of distress wrapping around her throat like cords of wire.

'Whatever's left? What is that supposed to mean?' Ichigo thought before she stood up, a little to abruptly, startling Moe and Miwa as she looked down her feet.

"Sorry, I have to use the restroom," Ichigo told them in a flat voice before she walked out of the room, leaving Moe and Miwa to sit alone, pondering what had just taken place.

'Was it something I said? Maybe did she hear my last comment?' Moe thought before she turned to Miwa.

"What should we do?" Mow asked, her usual cheerful, positive personality dying out. Her face dropped as she was consumed by brooding feelings. She walked to her desk behind Ichigo's and sat down. Miwa sat in her chair beside Moe and shrugged her shoulders.

"I don't know…" Miwa murmured. The way they sat there, pondering and stressing out about Ichigo's change in personality and behaviour, it was if they were losing sight of hope during a long war. Miwa sighed, her shoulders dropping as she gave up and pulled out a book. The knot in her stomach prevented any shouts of hunger as she dejectedly turned to the page that was set for homework, hoping to get it out of the way and more importantly to distract her and her analysing mind from Ichigo. Moe watched her for a minute, confused at why Miwa gave up so quickly on Ichigo when a thought came into her head.

'We may be close friends… but we aren't little girls anymore… The only one that can talk some sense into her would be Aoyama,' She realised. She rested her head on her hand as she pondered how in about a month, Ichigo had changed from her best friend to almost a complex creature that was far away from her grip. 'I guess love changes you like that…'

* * *

Ichigo leaned against the cool metal chain link fence. Her fingers clenched around the links as she stared up into the blue sky. Before The Mew Project she would have been terrified to lean on the fence, the only thing that prevented her from falling off the tall school building however with her additional blood that pumped in her veins, she would easily survive the fall, it would hurt a lot in her human body but she wouldn't suffer like someone else would.

'Human body… It's my body…' Ichigo thought, 'The Mew Project, that happened a while ago now, perhaps almost three weeks now… So much as happened but I wonder… Do I really wish for my old life back? Do I hate what I have become?' Ichigo asked herself, 'Moe and Miwa are picking up on my change of attitude already, if they found out what would they do? Reject me?' Ichigo shivered at that. She couldn't image walking into this school and not be around Moe and Miwa as they encourage her to talk to Masaya. 'Shirogane and Akasaka-san, they have changed my body until this fight with these aliens is over. If I didn't have this Mew Mew side to me I would be a normal girl, I wouldn't have to fight monsters, I wouldn't have to slave away at that café and I wouldn't have to worry about Aoyama-kun from finding out that I'm not normal right no-'

"Momomiya-san?" Masaya's voice snapped her out of her thoughts. She jumped for a second, her heart fluttering but luckily not enough to let her cat blood stem out of control. Masaya stepped onto the roof and looked at Ichigo who glanced back at him, a tiny bit startled but mostly troubled by something. Masaya approached her slowly as his thoughts collected themselves, "Sorry, did I frighten you?" he asked her, slightly as a conversational starter. Ichigo shook her head and gave him a smile.

"No, I was just daydreaming," Ichigo told him as he gingerly took a place next to her, putting a two bricks distance from her body and casually leaning on the fence. A bit of an awkward silence settled over them as Masaya observed her facial expression. She had slight bags under her eyes, blinking more than usual.

'Hasn't she been sleeping properly? Has something kept her up?' He thought as he continued to study her before her pink eyes flicked over to his, pink into brown before a flush appeared on the two young teenager's faces.

"Momomiya-san, sorry that we haven't talked for a while…" Masaya apologised, catching Ichigo off guard, "Just, the kendo tournament in coming up and so they have been training us quite a bit…" He began to explain, yet Ichigo knew this pretty well, "…I'm sorry, it's not a good excuse…" He admitted finally and Ichigo's heart fluttered a little as Masaya's wavering words hit her.

'Does this mean that he regrets not seeing me earlier? Is he actually taking a liking to me?' Ichigo thought as Ichigo glanced over at him in a timid fashion.

"It's okay, I've been busy with work at the café," Ichigo said, she mentally hurt herself for lying to people, Masaya even about her 'activities'. True, Café Mew Mew was the headquarters for the Mew Project so in a sense she wasn't lying.

'Yeah I just change into a human animal mutant and fight evil monsters and invading aliens…' Ichigo thought of his reaction if she ever so bluntly spat that out, 'Mint is right… I am a vulgar girl…'

"Momomiya-san… we haven't really seen or spoke to each other after that zoo incident…" Masaya said. Ichigo froze at this, inhaling and exhaling slowly. That day… So much had happened that day. It was perfect, a perfect day and date but then that's when Kish appeared… Ichigo shivered at the thought of that pale skinned, elf eared alien and his yellow eyes staring her down, devouring her before she shook her head violently.

"Yeah…" Ichigo murmured plainly as Masaya looked at her.

"Are you okay? After all that happened… Did you happen to see anything?" He asked her, taking a step closer to her as she looked at him faintly, her shoulders and face dropping.

'What do I say? I have to lie… I can do anything else…'

"I don't know, I tripped and fell into the crowd and everything went black and then I woke up and I could smell something horrible and I searched for you…" She lied, her heart sinking with every word. Another long silence filled the air as Ichigo stared down at the ground, blankly as her head filled with insults.

'Worthless, you do nothing but lie to your beloved Aoyama-kun, you don't really care about him… You are nothing but a freak, a cat freak. You can't even tell your friends and parents. You're just a vulgar lying girl who can't even find out how your friends are feeling right now,' The word strangled her, flooding her body with ice cold water, stabbing her with mental insults. Her heart floundered, flapping around as guilt set in. Her blood burned her, every part of her body hurt, it was agonising. She finally caved in, her head sinking as her shoulders trembled. Salty tears slid over her red cheeks while her ragged breaths stung her throat. Masaya jumped out as soon as he realised that Ichigo had broken in tears. He supported her shoulders as her hands slapped her face, her sobering breaking through.

"Momomiya-san?" Masaya tried to get her eyes as he gently sat her down on the concrete floor. He looked at her hopelessly, wondering what exactly to do when an instinct controlled him. He edged closer to her until his whole right side was pressed up against her left, her gently placed his hand on her arm, stroking her warmly up and down her forearm. He didn't know where this came from, he was so edgy about approaching her but as if an ancient code was written into his brain, telling him exactly what to do.

'Just like that other time,' He thought as Ichigo's wide, watery eyes looked up at him. Her lip trembled before she sniffed, wiping away tears as she tried to blubber something to him.

"I'm sorry Aoyama-kun… I didn't mea-" She was cut off again as her cries rose up in her throat. Masaya hushed softly at her, rubbing her arm softly, gently, "I didn't mean to do this to you… Just, Aoyama-kun… Can I ask you for some advice?" Ichigo bumbled.

"So you friends had a fight and you can't contact them?" Masaya summed up the story that Ichigo had told him. She felt bad at the major details she had left out but ones, like the fact that the friend actually tried to kill Mint, could be left out. Ichigo nodded, her face rubbing on his broad shoulder, "Then, Momomiya-san, why don't you visit the person? That's what friends do right," He smiled at her. Her heart thumped as she looked into his eyes, she hadn't notice how close he was. His hazel eyes were so dark but they had a mystical feel to them and as she looked deeper, she could see the rare flick of blue.

"You're right," Ichigo sniffed, sitting up but Masaya kept an arm around her in case she was still wobbly on her feet, "Thank you, I'm sorry I've dumped all my worries on you Aoyama-kun," Ichigo apologised as Masaya shook his head.

"I'm glad you did, I'll always want to help you Momomiya-san," He admitted. Ichigo smiled as she walked towards the door, knowing that she better apologise to Miwa and Moe next when Masaya's hand wrapped softly around her wrist. She glanced back at him, his happy smile was replaced by a nervous and serious gaze, "Please be careful Momomiya-san…" he pleaded.

* * *

Ichigo took a breath as she walked towards the large Aizawa estate.

'I didn't really think this over didn't I?' Ichigo thought. She considered coming along with Pudding and Lettuce but Ichigo had just strolled here proudly from school. Only when she was a few minutes away did the Mint-Seiji event come back into her mind.

"_Mint, you can't be serious!" Ichigo wailed as Mint sat on her table. Ryou and Keiichiro gave each other a nervous glance as Lettuce and Pudding looked on with wide eyes._

"_Why didn't you tell us before?" Lettuce asked_

"_I am serious, honestly, our house is full of caretakers, butlers and maids. They all heard and saw what happened. I thought that it would be best just to tell them all about us. It wasn't important up until now. Now that Seiji Oni-sama has gone overseas for study and my mother and father are never around," Her voice darkened on the last note before she continued, "So I'm really in charge so I talked to all of our staff and they have agreed with my idea. We'll turn our estate into a safehouse, a second base if needed. Anyone of you or allies of us are welcome to our estate at any time,"_ Mint told them.

'That's right, I shouldn't have any trouble getting in there… but still,' Ichigo approached the tall walls that blocked out the outside world and the little security cameras that scanned every movement. This place wasn't something that could be easily approached!

Ichigo peaked through the iron gate to find the front yard littered with police vehicles. Ichigo's heart jumped, she tried to open the gate but it didn't budge, she tapped the button that linked up with the main house but no one was there to open it for her.

"I have to get in!" She said aloud and ran around the fence, trying to find a blind spot in the security cameras. She found the large willow tree that sat in the front yard, its branches extending over the fence and only allowing a 90 degree angle for the camera nearby. Ichigo left her bag on the ground and launched herself into the tree, clambering into it. She crept along the thick branches and peered into the yard, close up to an old lady that was the head maid and caretaker of the Aizawa family. She was a small woman, reminding Ichigo of her own grandmother but she seemed distressed, more fragile than Ichigo had seen her before.

"Thank you, please give us the name of the missing person," A police officer said as another one finished a sketch, holding a file full of information and photos.

"Mint Aizawa… Please find her!" She whimpered, "Please!" She broke down into crying as the police began to round up. Ichigo's heart thudded sickly, her body crumbling away as she stumbled back along the branch, her body wavering with uneasiness.

'No… no…' Ichigo slipped out of the tree, her body falling to the ground but again she twisted her body around, her feet absorbing the impact, the power of her drop rattling her calves. Ichigo dropped down to the ground though, her eyes looking forward as shock froze her into place. Her lips wavered as a series of cat-like moans rose from her throat. She reached out for her phone, her fingers shaking wildly, making her dial the wrong number twice. Eventually she got through to Café Mew Mew. She sniffed, the cords wrapping around her throat again as she waiting for someone to pick up. When someone picked up, she wasted no time, her mouth blurting out the situation quickly.

"Mint! Mint is missing!"

* * *

"So you work at that girly café?" Otachi awed. Lettuce nodded but twitched as she could image Ryou's reaction to his comment.

'He wouldn't be too happy,' Lettuce summed up as walked home with Otachi on the way to the café for her afternoon shift. Ever since Lettuce protected Otachi from Aya Abe and her gang, Otachi had been clinging to Lettuce, following her like a loyal puppy. Lettuce didn't mind it at all since everything about Otachi, his playfulness, his attitude and at times, his infuriating logic, reminded her of Uri. He looked around the business district of Aquis Tokyo, staring up at the tall skyscrapers, bending backwards to the point he wobbled on his feet to stable himself.

"Haven't you been out here much?" Lettuce asked him, Otachi shook his head and sighed.

"Mum won't let me out, she says it's dangerous…" Otachi mumbled. Lettuce was surprised at this, her mind spinning wondering what was so dangerous about the city. Lettuce knew it was dangerous, it was incredibly dangerous right now but with that logic, so was the whole world but only her and the Mews knew about that.

"Why?" Lettuce asked.

'Perhaps his mother is just over-protective? No, if she was Otachi wouldn't have such a….unkempt appearance,' Lettuce wondered as Otachi scratched his head, turning his head to the side in a dog-like fashion before answering.

"Since she has more canine in her, she says she has heightened senses… She keeps saying that there is something dangerous around but she doesn't know what it is… Isn't she a weirdo? Lol!" He laughed, Lettuce had gotten used to his over use of text talk in actual writng and conversation. She had gotten to the point where now, she just mentally sighed instead of cringing and Otachi asking her why she was acting weird. All she could do was try to prevent Uri from walking down the same path when he gets older.

"Sense something?" Lettuce echoed as her brain registered his words.

'Is she like Hitomi-san as well?' Lettuce wondered to herself, 'Is that whole Ki reading ability not such a rare thing?'

"Yeah… I can't fight with her about it, she'll use the whole 'I know much more than you mister!' on me," Otachi explained when an explosion of realisation echoed in Lettuce's mind.

'No! You idiot! Otachi-kun said it himself! She's part canine! Just like I'm half porpoise! So it is true, animals can sense something is happening! Is that why Shirogane-san…'

"Lettuce, are you okay? You're acting like you just saw a monster," Otachi asked, he smiled a bit as Lettuce face fell, "Can you show me around one day?" Otachi asked her. Lettuce glanced at him, bewildered and recovering from her comedic act of aggravation. Again, his wide, sparkling eyes and waging tail made her cave in and Lettuce nodded at her loyal friend.

"Of course Otachi-kun," She said, "I'll be honoured to be your tour guide,"

'Curse your puppy-like cuteness!' Lettuce thought

"Ok," He said, distracted by another tall building. Lettuce shrugged her shoulders, resorting to that instead of a face palm or face fall.

Otachi lead Lettuce through the residential area, using paths that would avoid large crowds. If Otachi wasn't used to Aquis Tokyo's office buildings, no way who he be used to massive crowds flocking from building to building. Lettuce sighed, knowing she would be late arriving to the café now but having Otachi around her, made her feel better. Perhaps it was his joyful and childish nature, whenever he was around, all of her worries disappeared, evaporated by his radiant happiness. Yet, deep down, Lettuce frowned at herself, the main reason was because he wasn't a human. He was part animal. _Just like her_. Lettuce felt slightly guilty, she wasn't really a half human, demicreare as they call them. It was only temporary like Ryou had said but apart from Ryou, Keiichiro and the girls, Otachi was the only person that Lettuce could relate to. However, only Lettuce knew this… That is what hit her hard.

'Should I tell him? Mint-san has told her housekeepers… Well they did find out themselves. Hitomi-san knows but she is one of us now. If I told Otachi-kun then might I may as well tell everyone then?' Lettuce thought as Otachi started telling cringe-worthy puns and jokes, most of them not making much sense until he stopped at a house. He turned around, almost shyly.

"Well, this is my place…." He said, pointing at a one story, Japanese styled house. Lettuce could hear the sounds of running water and then the clinking of plates and cups.

"Okay then, tomorrow would you like a tour of Aquis Tokyo?" Lettuce asked him. Otachi nodded happily.

"Yep, see you at school then. Good luck at the girly café!" Otachi said as Lettuce returned his farewell and trotted down the street. She knew that if she ran, she would be at the park in a few minutes but her schoolbag felt like it was filled with concrete, pulling on her muscles and she was dying to get out of her brown, leather enclosed shoes which began to constrict her feet like hard leather Aquis-Acero army issue boots.

'I wonder if I transform into Mew Lettuce would I get there quicker?' She wondered to herself but she didn't dare think about it, 'Only for business…'.

Otachi watched Lettuce leave, checking the small letter box for mail and reading the writing on the envelops slowly for each one. His tail's hair fluffed up as he felt a strange feeling fill him, as if a cruel creature was staring, glaring him down intently.

'What's wrong with me?' He thought, looking up and down the street. No one at all was in the area.

He didn't think to look up until he heard a young teenage boy's voice.

"Hey, Dog-boy, sorry if this comes as a shock but I'll like to have a few words with you," Kish remarked deviously as he materialised into the air, his silver anklets emitting blue light as they kept him in the air. Otachi glanced up, his eyes growing wide in disbelief and shaking with fear. He stumbled back, the letters fluttering to the ground as Kish summoned his Dragon Swords, the sunlight glinting cruelly off them. Otachi's spine tingled, his brain sending out so many messages as his body kicked into fight or flight. His human side screamed to run, flight, his legs trembling with the necessary energy but deep inside was a burning ball, howling and yelping to fight back. His throat tightened up, a whine sliding out as he struggled for the words.

"H-h-HELP!" He screamed, his voice and the disturbance in the peaceful afternoon air was easily picked up by Lettuce who frozen in place.

"Otachi-kun?" He murmured, not wanting to believe it. She was frozen still, her heart pounding in her chest as she weighed up the situation, "He wouldn't scream out like that for no reason… Mew Mew Lettuce Metamorphosis!" She cried, ripping the Mew Lettuce Pendant from her ribbon. She kissed it and was covered in a green light, only for it to wash off in a matter of seconds, Mew Lettuce now speeding down to Otachi's house.

"OTACHI!" A young woman ran out of the house, running to Otachi, her long, shaggy white hair sweeping behind her elegantly. On top of her small head were two large husky ears and under her long plaited hair was a thick, bushy tail just like Otachi's. She growled at Kish, her ears flattening down and spreading her legs apart, arching her shoulders as she tried to look threatening. Apart from her icy blue eyes, her baring teeth, she looked helpless with a red, knee-length, stereotypical housewife dress, topped off with a white, frilly apron. She looked harmless until she wiped out a kitchen knife, wielding it wildly. Kish was taken back at this, wondering how to approach a thing like this. Since he began his attacks, not a single thing as apposed him apart from the Mew Mews but he understood, she was protecting her young.

'Like my mother-'

"Ribbon Lettuce Shaft!" Mew Lettuce threw a column of water towards Kish, hitting him square in the back with the force of car. He groaned as he was propelled into the air, he spun around, falling out of the Lettuce Shaft and looked down to find only the green Mew Mew staring up at him angrily.

"Only you today? Where is my kitten?" Kish asked her, bored at the idea of just facing Mew Lettuce.

"She isn't your plaything! No living being is yours!" Mew Lettuce cried out to him, "How can you be so cruel to your fellow beings?" She asked him as he shook his head.

"I don't need a humanitarian speech from you!" Kish spat back, his eyebrow twitching as he dived down to her, his Dragon Swords falling straight at her. Mew Lettuce prepared another Lettuce Shaft, just barely dodging the sharp blade. Kish hissed, jumping back and watched as Mew Lettuce positioned herself in front of Otachi and his mother.

"Who are you?" Otachi's mother asked, her voice horse with slight distrust, "Why are you helping us?"

"I'm a warrior of his planet, I protect everything in the same way you wish to protect your son. Please go back inside and leave this to me," Mew Lettuce tried to put on a professional glance as Otachi stared her down intently.

'Please don't notice me….' She thought as Otachi opened his mouth, Mew Lettuce braced for it.

"What's your name!" Otachi asked excitedly. Mew Lettuce let out a relieved sigh and smiled at him.

"Mew Lettuce," She said as Kish dropped down to the ground, scowling at her, "Now go! Please!" She added. Otachi's mother looked at her harshly, the ice-like eyes staring deeply at her before she snatched her son's hand and dragged him inside the house.

"Now you made the other toys go away," Kish huffed. Mew Lettuce turned to him, her expression darkening.

"What are you doing here? Why are you fighting us?" Mew Lettuce asked him but Kish launched another attack. She hissed, clicked even as the blade ripped through her shoulder like a sharp knife slicing through an apple. She stumbled onto her side, her hand clapping to her fresh wound. Her bare hand stung her injured flesh, as if thousands of fire ants were crawling over her muscles, struggling to swim in her blood that leaked from the five centimeter sized wound. She gasped as she looked at it, fear boiling her stomach's contents and threatened to throw it from the body. Mew Lettuce had seen Mew Ichigo wounded and they had the few scratches and bruises but no one had been attacked like this. She gagged a tiny bit and her legs trembled, she stumbled forward more and looked back at Kish who was chuckling.

"What's wrong? One hit and your down? What kind of warrior are you?" Kish asked her as Mew Lettuce looked up at Otachi's house to see the front, sliding door slightly ajar and peering out was Otachi's rusty red eyes watching her.

'That's right…' She thought as she held down the high left flick on her Mew Pendant, her distress signal, 'I can't back down… The whole time I've been a Mew Mew, I've just hurt others and depended on them… I may be outmatched but… Otachi-kun and his mother are depending on me… I can't fail them!' She told herself and turned to Kish, summoning her Lettuce Castanets as a strange power coursed in her blood. She gripped them, even though her right hand trembled as blood trickled down onto her right armband, the beautiful white lace absorbing the red plasma, holding its metallic stench.

"Ribbon Lettuce Rush!" She screamed, sending large waves towards Kish. He blocked his head with his arms, curling up as quick as he could to decrease surface area that would be battered by the razor-sharp waves. He hissed in pain but was able to jump out of the way, rolling on the lush lawn. His arms and legs looked like they had been through a storm of razorblades. Mew Lettuce aimed her Lettuce Castanets at him, her lips trembling with pain. Even keeping her arms up was hurting her but she bit her tongue, trying not to show it as she spread out her stance to look as threatening as she could, towering over the battered Kish.

'I didn't give her enough credit now did I?' Kish thought to himself, she was almost as fun to play with as Mew Ichigo yet she was nothing like that cute kitten of his. 'But I've got myself in a bit of a trouble here…' Kish though, blood colourfully decorating his pale flesh.

"I'll give you one more chance! Leave now or-"

_**BAM!**_

Mew Lettuce heard a echoing gunshot and a hard pain in the back of her head. She stumbled a bit as darkness filled her vision, her legs felt like they were tottering in thick, muddy water the continued to rise up her body. Her body then felt heavy, no, her head felt heavy and hazy as if someone filled it with dense fog. She then fell forward, the sting of pain disappearing as she closed her eyes, falling into a confused darkness.

Otachi went to open his mouth, went to scream but his mother slapped a hand over his mouth and pulled him into her body. Her body was shivering due to the mixture of adrenaline and fear, with all her strength, she push Otachi into her body, almost smothering him as she watched another 'alien' dropped down, this one older and with a long, strange looking rifle. They then scooped up the unconscious Mew Lettuce and disappeared into thin air.

'Mew Lettuce! NO!' Otachi mourned for the new superhero he had just met. Yet something told him that she was important. No, she was significant to him.

* * *

"Keiichiro! Who sent out the distress signal?" Ryou yelled, barging into the lowest levels of Café Mew Mew's basement. Keiichiro didn't reply, swallowing hard before he turned to Ryou. His blue eyes were sorrowful and burning with anguish, Keiichiro knew that he was on the border of losing his cool, his emotional wall breaking.

'He has been blaming himself again… Ryou… Ryou, this isn't your fault! Please!' Keiichiro wished he could say that allowed but right now Ryou just wanted to hear the answer to his question.

"Tell Me! Was it Mint? Maybe it'll giv-" Ryou started but Keiichiro just slumped down more into his leather office chair.

"Lettuce-san…. She sent out a distress…" Keiichiro answered. Ryou stiffened up, a bit depressed at the fact it's not linked to Mint's disappearance but it brought another worry to his mind.

'Lettuce? Oh no…' His jaw stiffened up, his fingers rubbing against his palms. Ryou tried to hide these things, he tried very hard but Keiichiro could read him like a book, he had read that book a million times over ever since Ryou was a little boy. Keiichiro knew he had a little thing for Lettuce, a crush perhaps but she was also a Mew Mew, a superhero _he_ created… So this would, this would destroy him…

"But in a few minutes… it… disappeared…" Keiichiro almost murmured and Ryou became silent. His breathing heaved and then he swept away, running up the stairs, Keiichiro jumped to his feet, running after him, "RYOU! RYOU!" He screamed but then he heard the pitter patter of cat feet as Alto fled from Café Mew Mew.

* * *

**Zoey Hoshi:** So so so sorry! This is long overdue and I end it on another cliff-hanger. I'll try to get more out quickly, hopefully this will be the end of my little writer's block.


	30. More Than Kin Less Than Kind

**Author's Note**: Sorry updates have been coming in slowly but I have been overworked to the point that I'm extremely sick with a bad flu virus. For a few days I couldn't do anything but sleep and eat little foods. I haven't even eaten chocolate and for me, that's saying something. I am on the road to recovery and was able to write this due to the power of sweet, sweet paracetamol and codeine.

**Note:** I am Australian, and we have alternative ways of spelling certain words from America. Eg. Mum/Mom, -ise/-ize, -or/-uor etc.

I know it is a major pain to do this, but please leave comments/reviews etc. because it **really** does cheer me up, knowing that this story is actually read and liked by people. **Thank you and sorry for all this!**

* * *

**Chapter 30: More Than Kin Less Than Kind**

Keiichiro had a lot of experience of dealing with children, a lot of experience of how to connect with them, talk with them, hell he could raise children well. He could remember back to the red cheeked, big eyed Ryou as he watched his father and Keiichiro walk back and forth from table to table in the laboratory. He had raised Ryou from a little boy to a teenager, mind you, he wasn't exactly the best example of fine parenting but when raising and caring after children, he had never experienced something like this before.

Ryou didn't return to Café Mew Mew and unable to contact him, Keiichiro just had to sit and wait. Yet unfortunately, the seconds didn't tick painfully away because he was focused on something.

The other two remaining girls that were currently under his care. Ichigo was cradling her head in her hands, her strawberry pink hair covering her face and draping over her fingers that slid across her scalp. Pudding was sitting next to her, leaning against her frame as her yellow eyes looked forward, being in deep thought. Keiichiro glanced at them out of the kitchen, he was used right now to making dishes for over forty customers each afternoon but right now his only customers and concerns were these two girls. He picked up two hot chocolates he had just made, putting a single marshmallow on the side before walking out to them.

"Here you go girls," He said warmly. Pudding snapped out of her daze, happily staring at him before she popped the pink marshmallow into her mouth.

"Thanks Akasaka Oni-chan na no da!" Pudding cheered. Keiichiro smiled, he had prayed that Pudding would be okay after all this was Lettuce after all, they were inseparable during work hours.

"Anything for you girls," he smiled as Ichigo looked up at him, her pink eyes dull. The look she gave him made him cringe, he knew it straight away, a pleading glance, asking for answers or solutions to the problem but Keiichiro was stuck. He knew what had to be done but where to start was an entirely different question.

"It's them right? Why? Why are they doing this? They haven't done anything so bold before!" Ichigo asked aloud, not expecting anyone to answer her though.

"Ichigo Onee-chan," Pudding nudged her softly, grabbing her attention, "Haven't you seen movies and anime with superheroes in it na no da?" Pudding asked her, "We are evil in their eyes… They want to get rid of us… That's what villains do na no da," Pudding pointed out. Ichigo took a sip of the creamy hot chocolate, plopping the marshmallow into it.

"Girls, why don't you say here for the night?" Keiichiro asked, "Not because I'm looking for that," He laughed as Ichigo looked at him, "No, no, if any information comes through we'll be able to act together. Right now, they are picking us off one by one when we are alone. You two stay together," Keiichiro gave a speech like an ex-commander to his troops or a wise principal looking out for his students.

"Okay, thank you Akasaka-san," Ichigo nodded, smiling a little at that.

'What can Pudding do na no da? Pudding wants to stay here but Pudding can't just leave everyone at home alone… What if social services comes na no da? What if someone gets hurt na no da? They can't cook anything and they'll fight about the littlest things if I'm not around but…' Pudding weighed up her options. She glanced at Ichigo who was deep in thought with a cool, unreadable expression.

"Akasaka Onii-chan, may Pudding ring someone na no da?" Pudding asked as a stone formed in her gut. Keiichiro nodded, pointing to the phone in the kitchen. Pudding hopped up, walking over to the phone while she formed her words.

How could she say this? She hasn't done a thing like this in her whole life. She has been able to take care of herself, brothers and sister but now… She needed help, she couldn't go on forcing everything on herself.

'Sorry everyone, you're the most important things to Pudding but…' She looked back over at Ichigo and sighed, 'Pudding has to be here for Ichigo Onee-chan na no da,' She told herself, hoping that they would take it that way. She looked up at the phone, pausing before picking it up and dialing the number that was carved into her brain. She heard the phone ring and ring, reverberating in her skull, as if her brain melted, leaving a large vacant space. Finally she heard a click and a young female voice.

"Hello, you have reached Kouhoku's Kindergarten. How may I help you?" Yūshin-sensei's voice came through the phone. Pudding was a little stuck for words at first, Yūshin-sensei's voice stopping her train of thought.

"Hello Yūshin-sensei, Pudding has a favour to ask of you… if it isn't to much na no da…" Pudding asked almost immediately. She felt a little guilty as shocked silence settling over the phone.

"I would happily help you Pudding-chan, what's wrong?" Yūshin-sensei asked, Pudding smiled, glad that Yūshin-sensei was willing to help.

"Pudding needs to look after a friend tonight so, if it isn't to much can you please look after Pudding's family for the night na no da?"

"I would happily do that for the night Pudding-chan," Yūshin-sensei replied and Pudding couldn't help a large smile spreading on her lips.

"Thank you so much sensei na no da!" Pudding thanked her, "Pudding owes you a lot now na no da!" She added with a giggle.

"No, you don't owe me anything Pudding-chan," Yūshin-sensei replied, making Pudding stop dead, "I've known about your situation for a few years yet I haven't done anything about it. I owe you this Pudding-chan,"

* * *

"This is our guest room," Keiichiro announced, opening a small room on the top floor. Pudding ran into it excitedly, no matter how long she worked at Café Mew Mew, there were still more rooms to explore. This room was quite bare and plain, the pale green walls only had two pieces of artwork on it, obviously to give some charm to the blank room. There was only a single bed, western style with a silver metal frame and plain white sheets on it. Next to it was a white bedside table with a small alarm clock.

"Why do you have guest rooms?" Ichigo asked, glancing back at Keiichiro, "Expecting company?" She smiled slightly at that, lowering her eyes into a 'wink-wink nudge-nudge' fashion. Keiichiro smiled a little, closing his eyes for a second.

'Thank goodness that she is starting to get back to normal,' Keiichiro thought, opening his hazel eyes to look at her again warmly.

"No, we put them in here… You know, in case something was to…" He paused mid-sentence, "In case…" He finished it there and Ichigo's smile dropped back into a thin, straight line. She sighed and sat on the end of the bed, her hands sitting neatly in her lap, "There is only one bed? There is two of us," She pointed out.

"I'll bring in a futon, you two and decide who wants it," Keiichiro said before Pudding spun around, her arms folded and shaking her head and her pointed finger in time, as if she picked up something the others hadn't.

"Ichigo Onee-chan and Akasaka Onii-chan have you gotten blind na no da?" Pudding asked them, "Now Pudding is the wiser one," She laughed before continuing, "Ichigo Onee-chan and Pudding can share the same bed na no da!" Ichigo's face dropped a little at that, glancing off to the side.

"I'll take the futon…" Ichigo said as Pudding spun around to face her. Her cheerful expression had been completely reversed. Her large eyes watered as her lips quivered.

"Why? Why doesn't Ichigo Onee-chan want to sleep with Pudding na no da? Doesn't Ichigo Onee-chan like Pudding na no da?" Pudding mumbled, her voice wavering on the edge of crying. Ichigo's face dropped, knowing two things with Pudding. One, she knew how to put on a sad act but she also could get upset easily so it was almost impossible to tell if this was an act to twist you or if this was genuine sadness. Two, you could never win an argument with Pudding. It was impossible.

"No, I like… I love you Pudding just that last time I slept with Hitomi… It was very hard to sleep…" Ichigo groaned, remembering Hitomi's ceaseless teasing. "I'll sleep with you Pudding," She gave up, Pudding expression turned around into a smile and she jumped around in glee. However Ichigo's words had sparked something in Keiichiro's mind.

"Ichigo-san? Have you been able to contact Hitomi-san?" He asked. Ichigo flipped open her phone to check for any new messages before shaking her head.

"I don't know where she lives but I got a feeling that she'll come back soon enough," Ichigo slightly smiled, Pudding nodding back at her. Ichigo had started to smile more often, the shock wearing away or it was the vibe that Pudding gave off was starting to sink into her, bring out her old, optimistic personality, "Akasaka-san… May I ask where Shirogane is during all of this?" Ichigo piped up, bring Keiichiro back to his other child problem.

'I totally forgot about Ryou. He is going be annoyed if he finds that out or he'll be happy about it…' He thought, knowing Ryou's hatred to… Keiichiro's paternal affection to him, '_It makes you look like a homo! For God's sake stop it!_ He always says that… But… still…'

"I don't know Ichigo-san…" Keiichiro admitted. Ryou started the Mew Project, he is the leader of it. He should be here for the girls, not running away from it.

'I swear, when I find him I'm going to seriously snap some sense into him. He may be smart, even smarter than I and he may be much more mature than most people his age but there is one major detail. He hasn't experienced as much as someone like me. He is still a child,' Keiichiro told himself mentally. He sighed, glancing out of the window that Pudding had just opened, watching the sun fall behind the tall backdrop of the skyscrapers and apartment buildings of Tokyo. 'Ryou… Where are you?'

* * *

The regular commuters, walking to their little homes in a peaceful residential district from the pulsating and growing heart of Aquis Tokyo, wouldn't notice a stray animal sprinting through the streets. A few kindergarteners giggled and squealed in excitement but as soon as they saw the gray fur of a cat, he disappeared.

Alto's pads were starting to feel sore as the rough concrete scrapped against his pads, giving a burning sensation in his paws but his brain felt numb, frozen over in shock. Alto knew this was stupid, he knew it very, very well but he couldn't control himself. He just needed to get away from it for a second. He needed complete silence to think properly and with Café Mew Mew, holding memories of the all of the girls together, that was impossible. Alto's heart was thundering, he could hear it clearly as it pumped his boiling blood through his body, around his ears. His throat was taut, his lung screaming for more air as he bolted across the road carelessly, closing his eyes tightly as he heard the screeching of tires on the asphalt but he kept running until he felt the concrete under his paw against. He stopped momentarily, opening his blue eyes and letting his lungs absorb some air. He looked up at all of the people, walking by and minding their own business. He stumbled, his body shivering intensely either from exhaustion, adrenaline or complete shock. He slunk into a small, narrow alleyway and collapsed. He closed his eyes, falling into a fitful darkness.

He soon found himself wondering in the park, his mind ringing with confusion. Why was he here? How did he get here? He looked around, ears pricked up, blue eyes scanning the fog that clung to the ground, swallowing his dark gray paws in its chilly grasp. He slinked forward slowly, trying to locate where he was.

'This is the park isn't it?' He thought to himself, bare, black tree branches, shrunken by lack of water and light, curled around each other. 'I must be dreaming… It's the middle of spring right now, all the trees are in bloom. I must be half awake to know this is a dream…' Alto told himself when a burning light pierced through the tightly knotted trees, leading him through the eternal shadow that blanketed the area.

The more he thought about it, the more obvious this was a dream, he couldn't hear, as if cotton buds were crammed into his ears. The only sounds that rang in his head were his short breaths and his pounding, bemused heart rate. He sniffed, pointing his nose into the air to pick up any scents on the breeze but he could only smell the salty odor of his own perspiration and his own, unique scent. Not a single breeze blew through the park.

Every thing was frozen in time.

'Damnit, can't I just wake up alrea-' His thoughts were cut short when a loud explosion ripped through the dead area. The little guiding light erupted into flames, sending crackling and whipping winds towards Alto. He shrunk back, flattening his ears to block out the noise. It felt like someone was using a leaf blower next to him, the air roaring as it evaporated the fog. The air, the wind, everything felt very warm as it buffered through his still winter-thick gray fur. No… It wasn't warm, it was burning, _scalding_. Alto pushed forward, towards the epicenter of the explosion to find Café Mew Mew, burning brutally to the ground. The flame licked up the walls, the heat melting the bricks. Alto couldn't move, he knew this was a dream but fear gripped him as his dream played out a vicious adaption of déjà vu. He couldn't forget that night, the flames destroyed the café, his current home just like they had to his old home. He searched the flames, expecting to see the monster that did this only to see a figure of a girl, surrounded by flames.

"Shirogane…" The voice was eerily calm for it to be a person in danger, burning to death. Alto was frozen as guilt, pain and fear clawed at him, eating at everything like a ravage acid. Over the smell of burning wood, burning plastics and other materials there was another scent that hit him that made him sick. Strawberries… with the rotting smell of burning flesh making his guts turn over in disgust. Metallic copper like smell scratched the back of his throat.

'_No! No! You fucking idiot look what you did to your own fucking kin! Your child!_' His Iriomote Yamaneko DNA screamed out, screeching out as he watched the flames explode.

Alto opened his eyes, flicking them wildly as he found himself in that narrow, dirty alleyway. He sat up, his lungs heaving as he could still smell that stench of blood. He shook his head, trying to rip the dream away from his mind.

'I know why I had that dream… It was just like that night…' His mind stopped him from remembering it. His body knew that he had been through enough trauma that day. 'It's the same reason… I let them down, I abandoned them while I ran away to have a cry. No wonder Keiichiro still says I'm a child! I'm such a friggin moron!' He beat himself up when he heaved another breath, the scent of blood still clinging to him. He sniffed again. 'No, it's coming from this alleyway,' He walked down the alley to find dried up blood, hardened to the ground. He sniffed it, it smelt strange, different from human blood. He went to walk away but he smelt something else, something that smelt of old paper, a strange mix of bizarre plants and medicines. He followed it to find a circular device with several buttons and screens. Some screens were cracked, nothing he couldn't fix anyway. He observed it more until he found some hiragana on the side, three characters of it.

'KE-E-KI,' He read it, he looked around before picked it up with his mouth and headed back to the café.

* * *

Pudding paused to catch her breath, looking out from the safety of the tree's canopy to the streets below. The strongest stars that powered through the light pollution joined the moon, filtering light onto the street. It was still fairly busy, cars flowing from the inner city like blood rushing from the heart and a few people walked home, kids from cram school or perhaps arcades and karaoke bars. It was just a normal day, it made a little coil inside of Pudding relax a little more. All of the girls had changed since they were injected, their diet, appearance, sounds and the way they acted. Pudding knew this very well and she welcomed it, she embraced it. Life was so much better with her Golden Lion Tamarin DNA and there was one thing that she had to do around dusk. Patrol. Keiichiro and Ryou had explained to Pudding that tamarins live in groups within a territory, which needs to be protected. Her area, which stretched from Aquis Tokyo Park, where Café Mew Mew was located to her house, needs to be patrolled for any intruders and any disturbances. The longer Pudding held this off urge, the more it curled up, building up an itch and when she finally patrolled and saw that everything was okay, it relaxed her immensely but there was a nagging thought at the back of her head tonight, the same thought that everyone else had.

'Why are they picking us off one by one na no da? Well, that is easy really. If Pudding thinks as a warrior, it is smarter to pick enemies off one by one, leaving the rest worrying and weak na no da. They are trying to break us then? Yet, we have something that protects us all. They only know our Mew forms na no da,' Pudding thought. This had been her reasoning to Ichigo, if she didn't point that out, Ichigo would still be clinging onto her desperately. Pudding felt a little bad as she swiftly travelled along the thick brick park wall, not minding the strange gazes she received from people. She had gotten Yūshin-sensei to look after her family tonight so she could make Ichigo feel better but Pudding had to make sure that Heicha and the others were okay. She jumped into the safety of the trees, peering up at the dark sky, not only that but she had to try and figure out where Hitomi or where Lettuce and Mint were or any clues at all.

"_If anything goes wrong, don't transform until I get there, promise me,"_ Ichigo pleaded her as she felt the café. Pudding knew this, hoping slightly for the first time that nothing bad would happen. She turned the corner to find Yūshin-sensei's school, the last few teachers and staff locking up the place as Yūshin-sensei held Heicha's hand, leading her to her red Holden Barina car with a Duckling print on it along with Kouhoku's Kindergarten contact details. Pudding crept closer, wanting to see Heicha's expression as Yūshin-sensei opened to backseat and helped Heicha into it. Her golden eyes peered into it curiously before she sat in, Yūshin-sensei leaned over, buckling her in softly as Heicha smiled, fidgeting in excitement. Pudding let out a breath, floating on a sea of relief peacefully. It felt strange to see someone else care for her family but it felt right at the same time. Something about Yūshin-sensei, it… calmed her. Pudding stopped dead as an image filled her head, long purple hair and a kind yet sickly smile. Pudding clapped her head, shaking herself as grief gripped her.

'No! Pudding be strong na no da! For everyone na no da! Pudding can't cry na no da!' Pudding told herself. Then she smelt something, a mix of ocean salt and waxy oil that clung of the roof of her mouth. Her hair stood up and she arched her back. She glanced around, searching when she saw Kish sitting on a building a block away and with him was a strange alien that Pudding had never seen before. Pudding hissed through her sharp teeth, ripping the Mew Pudding Pendent from her pocket and clicking the distress button. 'Ichigo Onee-chan, please get here quickly! If he comes over here, Heicha and Yūshin-sensei will be in grave danger and I don't know if I can wait for you!' Pudding prayed as she tapped the upper left flick impatiently like she would at a traffic crossing light. The strange creature looked like an eel, a large one at that, big enough to be a bus but it resembled a Para Para. That's when the screaming started.

* * *

"Para Paban, show me your powers!" Kish laughed as the juvenile Para Paban slid along the road, leaving behind a slimy trail that glittered in the moonlight. Screeching of tires ripped through the air as drivers slammed on their brakes, swerving their cars to avoid it. Para Paban leaned back, letting the back of its body support its head in the air. It let out an unnatural cry before it used its tail to swipe the cars of the road, rolling them over and over like leaves blown by the wind. Kish smirked as he watched people run away uncontrollably like crazed ants as he stood over the ant's nest, stirring them up and laughing at the result.

"Kish! Kish! Where are you?" Sasujiro's voice snapped violently over the communicator. Kish flinched like a child caught red-handed by a parent as he reached for the communicator.

"Hey sunshine," He joked to lighten the mood, "Around…" He answered slowly.

"You took the Para Paban didn't you!" Sasujiro snarled at him. Kish rolled his eyes in annoyance. Sasujiro was a damn overprotective parent of the new 'toy weapon'.

"Yes, I waited for it to get older and for another two to be born so I can use it," Kish pointed out, "Stop spoiling my fun for crying out loud, Mew Ichigo might be here soon," He turned off the communicator as he laughed, leaning back in the zero-gravity bubble that encased him thanks to Sasujiro's anklets. He knew that Sasujiro would be freaking out, he would get a mouth full of his bitching when he got back but that didn't matter.

'Where are you my kitten? The other toys aren't as fun anymore…' Kish thought to himself as the curious Para Paban found the Kouhoku Kindergarten. A silver car sped off, its tires screeching into the distance as Yūshin-sensei slammed her foot on the clutch, turning the keys that chattered against each other in her trembling hand. The engine coughed up a few times before purring softly, Yūshin-sensei slammed on the gas but took her foot of the clutch prematurely, leaving her to start up again. Pudding tensed up, watching the Para Paban rear up, looking over the tall brick fence to the terrified glance of Yūshin-sensei's dark purple gaze.

'I'm sorry Ichigo Onee-chan na no da!' Pudding kissed her Mew Pendent and triggered her transformation.

"Mew Mew Pudding Metamorphosis," She mumbled, letting the changes in her body take place swiftly. As soon as she felt the light subside, she held out her hands, "Pudding Ring," She summoned, letting the Yellow and Orange tambourines fall into her hands.

Mew Pudding jumped out of the tree, throwing the Pudding Ring around the Para Paban. Kish spun around to find the little yellow Mew Mew creating a Pudding Ring Inferno around the Para Paban. He flinched a little, amazed at how quietly she appeared, before he dived to her.

"I was wondering when one of you will show up," Kish laughed, summoning his Dragon Swords. The Ring Inferno formed perfectly over the Para Paban yet it started to quiver slightly.

'It won't hold forever na no da,' Mew Pudding thought before she caught her Pudding Rings. She clashed them together, crouching down in a threatening pose as she glared up defiantly at Kish. Yūshin-sensei watched the supernatural scene in front of her as Mew Pudding glanced back.

"Go! Look after the girl na no da!" Mew Pudding told her and glanced back at Kish, "Mew Pudding will hold them off na no da," She said as Kish laughed.

"I have to admit, you're quite the strong one," Kish said, "Unlike the other two…" Mew Pudding lost her strong pokerface, looking up at him.

"So, you do have them… You meanie na no da! Where are Mew Pudding's nakama na no da?" She demanded as she jumped into the air towards Kish. He dived towards her, spinning around the dragon swords so only the blunt end of the handle would roughly hit her in the face but the yellow Mew was ready for it, her small hand cupping over the end of the sai. Kish tried to swing his arms around but Mew Pudding held on tightly, her fingers using all of their strength and power to hold onto them. The top half of her body was inside Kish's Anti-G bubble but below her waist dangled helplessly. She trembled slightly at the feeling but she tried to ignore it.

'Mew Pudding is in trouble, this is Kish's field, how is he in the air na no da?' Mew Pudding thought as Kish jolted abruptly, ripping one of Mew Pudding's hands away. She knew that she had to retreat so she moved her now free hand to Kish's thin, mossy green hair and grasped it. Kish lost some of his concentration at this, Mew Pudding's hand pulling at the strings of hair that felt like they were hardwired into his skull, pulling some out painfully slow. Mew Pudding then swung a leg forward into the bubble until it connected with a bony elbow. Her kneecap luckily smacked Kish's funny bone, making him retract like a hurt snail and in the process, dropping one of his sais. Mew Pudding then ripped herself from his bubble, falling to the ground to find the Para Paban about to burst from its jelly-like prison. She landed perfectly, her bones shaking with the impact but she shook it off easily.

"Heicha! No!" Yūshin-sensei's voice sounded above a revved Barina. Mew Pudding spun around to find Yūshin-sensei stumbling out of the car but her yellow eyes fell into golden ones.

'Heicha!' The little girl seemed almost obvious to the danger she was in but her fingers slightly trembled from fear wonderfully mixed with adrenaline and pure curiousity. Heicha's little hand clasped over Mew Pudding's as she looked deeply into Mew Pudding's.

"Onee-chan?" She echoed curiously and the Mew Mew stopped dead, "You remind me a lot of Onee-chan… Are you…" Her little childish voice was drowned out by a furious bellow of the now free Para Paban. Mew Pudding swept up Heicha without thinking and fled to Yūshin-sensei's car.

"Listen to sensei na no da," Mew Pudding whispered as she put Heicha in, closing the door behind her. She looked at the brown haired woman who was now looking at her, focused on her orange-brown monkey ears and tail.

"All those rumours… They were true… Who are you?" Yūshin-sensei mumbled as Mew Pudding pointed to the car.

"That doesn't matter now does it na no da? Please go na no da! Mew Pudding can't hold them off forever na no da!" Mew Pudding pleaded. Yūshin-sensei looked at her with a curious glint in her eye as if she just met an alien. The young woman finally nodded, her expression changing to a mature and calm in the face of adversity one. She ran back to the car, out of Mew Pudding sight. The yellow Mew listened out for the screeching of tires to disappear into the night before she let out a breath.

'At least they are safe now na no da… Mew Ichigo… Where are you na no da?'

"Ribbon Pudding Coin!" Mew Pudding threw the yellow disk towards the Para Paban, cutting the left side of its face. It let out a howl of pain as the light seeped and burned at its cool skin, the Pudding Coin swirled around, heading towards Kish who dodged it swiftly.

"I have to praise you," Kish called out, "I haven't gotten such a fight out of one Mews since Mew Ichigo," Mew Pudding froze at this, hissing as she prepared another Pudding Coin.

"Keep away from Mew Ichigo na no da! Ribbon Pudding Coin!" She threw another at the Para Paban that was crushing the yellow brick wall to get closer to her.

"Ribbon Strawberry Check!" Mew Ichigo sent a beam of light towards the Pudding Coin, enveloping it and sending it powering along. The combined attack hit the Para Paban in the middle of its thick body, it yowled as the brute force folded into its soft body, the sharp stabbing pain of light coating it as it flowed into its body. Mew Ichigo ran up behind Mew Pudding, her arms wrapping around her and she nuzzled her nose into her soft, yellow hair.

"Mew Ichigo na no da!" Mew Pudding cheered, spinning around to face the pink Mew Mew. She hugged her back quickly before pulling away to see a smile form on Kish's thin lips.

"I was wondering if you would show up my little kitten," He taunted but Mew Ichigo's tail flicked in irritation.

"Where are my friends!" She demanded, holding her Strawberry Bell out, ready to attack.

"Where are they? I'm not like those villains that blurt out all of our secrets," Kish laughed, creating a deep hiss from Mew Ichigo.

"Mew Pud-"

_BANG_

A gunshot echoed through the night air, making Mew Ichigo tense up. Mew Pudding felt a sharp pain on the back of her head, as if someone shot her with a dart gun. She stumbled forward, holding her head as her vision went blurry. Mew Ichigo lurched forward to support her, her eyes flicking over frantically the stunned Mew Pudding.

"Th-there's ano-another s-s-somewhere na n-no da…" Mew Pudding frowned, trying to keep her mind focused on staying awake as her vision started to blur up, "The-y must ah-have done this to-"

"The others? Mew Pudding, don't!" Mew Ichigo pleaded as Kish appeared behind Mew Ichigo. His cool hands slid up her bare shoulders, making her tremble before she spun around to see his glinting yellow eyes focused on hers.

"Where were we last time?" Kish chuckled as another hand cupped her chin.

* * *

Sasujiro looked through the aim, targeting the back of Mew Ichigo's waving, bubblegum pink hair. He hissed in disgust at Kish as he leaned in closer to his enemy.

'And he has a much better, Kaerufan may I add, girl chasing after him. If Sutoroberi finds out about this… She will snap,' Sasujiro thought to himself as his finger rested on the trigger, waiting for Kish to move his head away. 'Another one for the trophy room, all we have left is the purple one Kish talked about,' He thought. He heard the sound of rapid paws, he ignored it but then a medium sized, gray cat jumped on his gun, making him miss the shoot. Alto unsheathed his claws, ripping them against his pale hands. Sasujiro dropped the gun and grabbed Alto by his green scarf. Alarm and fear ran up Alto's muscles and spine, his front paws grabbed the knot in the scarf to prevent it from coming undone as Sasujiro tossed him aside. Alto hissed as his side painfully hit the concrete rooftop, rolling around until he came to a stop, his sides and shoulder throbbing and weeping in pain. He closed his eyes and eased his breathing so he appeared unconscious.

'That was too close, he could have discovered my identity…' He thought as Sasujiro clicked on his communicator. Alto focused on it, knowing every well what he had now in his possession. 'I have some of their technology, this is perfect!' He smirked mentally as Sasujiro shook his hand, a few scarlet drops falling onto the gray, flat rooftop.

"Retreat Kish, take our pray with us, you can toy with her again tomorrow," He commanded as he teleported to the Para Paban and the two figures teleported away.

"No! Don't you dare!" Mew Ichigo elbowed Kish back, stumbling forward as she look at him sternly, "I'm not a toy for you to play with you sick freak!" She hissed. Kish sighed, hearing Sasujiro's orders.

'If I don't obey him now, I'll be in a lot of shit later,' he thought. He then swiftly leapt towards Mew Pudding who had fallen to the ground, curling up as the last few drops of conscious were sucked from her. He scooped her up, throwing her over his shoulder before kicking off into the air. Mew Ichigo watched with wide eyes, her knees trembling but she powered towards Kish.

"Don't! Don't you dare take another one of my precious friends!" Mew Ichigo yelled, her voice quivering on pleading. Kish smirked, looking back at her large pink eyes. The strawberry pink iris glittered as it began to water, tears grouping up before they fell.

'She looks so amazingly cute,' He chuckled to himself. He laughed aloud and clicked the button to teleport, creating a large ripple on the air. The pink Mew watched as her last nakama disappeared with her enemy, leaving her alone in the street. Mew Ichigo feel to her knees, her whole body hollowed out and empty.

"I'm sorry," Ryou mumbled, the tall teenager appearing from almost nowhere as he slowly made his way across the street. He crouched beside Mew Ichigo, not wanting to look at her eyes. Would they be judging? Sad beyond belief? Angry at him for not being there?

'_Some kin you are,_' His cat DNA mumbled, 'Yeah, some kin I am,' Ryou agreed.

* * *

**ZoeyHoshi: **Why was I born with such a weak immune system? Can't I have a badass one? I've been sick for five days so far!


	31. Can't Stay Out Of Character!

**Author's Note**: One week, I've been sick for almost a full week and I'm sick of it. Sick of fatigue, sick of coughing… Sick of being sick! Anyway, I'm sick of having little upset Ichigo and moping people so I thought to end it, end this out of character-ness, (They aren't really, just upset but you aren't upset forever). I was looking over my notes and I made a definite number for the remaining chapters. This flight as been great, soon we being our descent I hope you have enjoy this 'airline' Mew Project. On with the show!

**Note:** I am Australian, and we have alternative ways of spelling certain words from America. Eg. Mum/Mom, -ise/-ize, -or/-uor etc.

I know it is a major pain to do this, but please leave comments/reviews etc. because it **really** does cheer me up, knowing that this story is actually read and liked by people. **Thank you and sorry for all this!**

* * *

**Chapter 31: Can't Stay Out-Of-Character!**

"One day," Ichigo spoke up, "In one day, this is what we are reduced to," She sat down on a leather office chair in the main computer lab in Café Mew Mew. Ryou fidgeted around with Keeki's communicator as Keiichiro sat in another chair in front of Ichigo. Her eyes looked down at her feet, one nervously tapping the floor repetitively. Keiichiro sighed, his long hair out of its usual ponytail and spilling out over his shoulders like a cascading waterfall.

"Ichigo-san," Keiichiro sighed, patting her knee softly in a comforting way. He glanced over at the computer screen, reading the time before turning back to Ichigo. It had been a rough night for her but she had finally calmed down somewhat now at five o'clock in the morning. Her eyes were dull and heavy bags were forming under her eyes, she definitely wasn't the same girl that stumbled into Café Mew Mew a few weeks ago. Keiichiro patted her knee a few more times to get her attention, "We can't give up hope now can we? Do you want me to make you anything? Hot Coco maybe? Moccha?" He listed a few hot drinks. At first it looked like Ichigo wasn't going to reply, just reverting to a fragile China doll. After a little pause she nodded her head slowly.

"A coco please," She murmured quietly. Keiichiro nodded and left the room quietly. Ichigo looked around, never seeing this room of the Café before as Ryou tweaked the communicator. The silence was heavy and thick, it made Ryou tense and uneasy. Normally Ichigo wouldn't be like this, no she would be picking on something or at least daydreaming… This isn't her at all. Ryou considered speaking up but the silence seemed so threatening and sturdy that he faltered a little, biting his tongue but then Ichigo sighed.

"Boys and their toys…" She murmured as she glanced over at him, "How can you stay so calm and focused on something at a time like this?" She asked him, her voice was quavering a little hysterically as she looked at him. He stopped for a second and turned to face her.

"It is a skill that you can perfect and it is a skill that is needed for this project," Ryou explained as Ichigo shook her head.

"How? How is it?"

"If you panic, every part of you panics. You cannot think straight and then that's when you lose sight of what to do next," Ryou explained, "For example, what is the most important thing to do now?" He asked her.

"Find the others! That is so obvious!" Ichigo replied but Ryou shook his head, making Ichigo blink in confusion.

"We have no leads do we? We only have this," He pointed to the communicator, "But it could be a dud if it was just discarded or left behind. I don't think they would just leave it behind… So what is our way of getting to them?" Ryou asked her.

"That… That would be getting Hitomi to find them and Zakuro-san to help us…" Ichigo pointed out, "But I don't know where Hitomi is and Zakuro-san…" Ichigo paused, she remembered it clearly how Zakuro snapped when she transformed. Ryou watched her, knowing every well what happened that night when Ichigo had debriefed it all to him and Keiichiro. "I don't know if she'll want to help me at all… What should I do? I just don't know anymore!" Ichigo's voice snapped as she shook her head side to side. Her lips quivered as she felt her eyes watering up, her hands retracted into fists as she tried to prevent from breaking down again. Ryou watched her before he sighed.

'This is going to sound so cliché but…' He thought as he took a breath.

"Do you really believe that Zakuro Fujiwara is like that? Weren't you hysterical when you first transformed and found out about this ordeal?" Ryou asked her. Ichigo stopped, looking up at him shyly.

"What? Um… Yeah, I guess I was…" Ichigo remembered back to that day, it seemed so long ago when her normal life was ripped from her. She remembered the range of emotions that ran through her body from excitement to fear. "She didn't know what was going on and she just snapped… Mint has done that before as well and she isn't a bad per- Well she is a snob but she isn't a bad person. After Zakuro-san calmed down, she seemed upset about it later on… so…" Ichigo went silent. Ryou went back to tweaking as Ichigo thought it over and over.

"Then, do you believe she is a friend? Our Nakama?" Ryou asked her. Ichigo paused for a second before she nodded, "What about Hitomi?" Ryou added.

"She'll come back here… I'm sure of it…" Ichigo said instantly, "She might have had a falling out with the Mint-Zakuro deal but she is serious about this so she will come back," Ichigo said strongly as Keiichiro came back into the room. He smiled softly and passed Ichigo's drink to her, "Zakuro-san is a friend…" Ichigo added quietly. She sipped it as another silence filled the room, heavy and sturdy again as the three couldn't think was what to say. Ryou had a few words that were fluttering around but he couldn't form them into sentences.

"I'm sorry," He finally blurted out, getting both Ichigo's and Keiichiro's attention, "You can ask Keiichiro if you're ever curious about how hesitant I was about this…." His mouth bubbled and blurted. He knew he would regret saying this but he had to get it off his chest. "I have only one goal in mind… To save everyone, it'll be a lot easier if I was superman," He joked. "Right now, we know something that no one else knows. We know that this peaceful world is fleeting. The Mew Project is the only thing that can stand up to it…" He didn't once look at Ichigo who was looking at him, her eyes sparkling with a strange mix of emotions, "We are the final product of The Mew Project, we are the only thing standing in the way of this threat. I'm sorry that you aren't this little ditzy schoolgirl, in reality, you aren't a trained warrior and you shouldn't be going through this but… Look at you now…" Ryou stopped as Ichigo sat still before she stood up and walked over to Ryou.

"And you were saying how out of character I was," She smirked, "Shirogane is complimenting me? Gosh, I feel privileged that the great Shirogane turned to look at me," She continued to tease as Ryou looked at her slightly irritated.

"You girls always complain that guys never speak up and confide in people. Yet when I actually do it for your benefit you just laugh at me? Betcha' it's a different story with loverboy," He added with a smirk. Ichigo stopped her proud smirk, her lips turning into a pout and Ryou slowly let out a breath.

"If you believe Zakuro is a friend then go," Ryou pointed out, catching Ichigo by surprise, "If you, keyword you, explain and tell her your feelings then she will listen…" He then smiled to himself, "Well just a hunch I have anyway," Ichigo looked at Ryou and then turned to Keiichiro who nodded kindly to her.

"Yeah, I can't sit around and mope all day. It won't get me anywhere," Ichigo said, almost talking to herself as headed to leave the computer lab but she spun around quickly and bowed, "Thank you Akasaka-san! Shirogane!" She then quickly left the room. A thin silence filled the room again until Keiichiro chuckled.

"Don't say anything about her evolving into a leader, I have to say that today, you are becoming a good leader. Motivational speech and apology to her wrapped up in one? Double points," Keiichiro chuckled softly. Ryou rolled his eyes but he grinned to himself as pride bubbled inside of him.

He continued to play around with the object for a few more hours, Keiichiro coming over to help in little intervals. It was small enough to fit in a teenage girl's hand, round with a few screens and a name scratched in around the edge. Keiichiro looked at it and found a little restart hole, like ones found on the back of calculators and toys that need something very small like a pen to press it. It was around here where Ryou found something else was scratched into the side.

'_For warriors under command of Lord Furaro'_

"Lord Furaro? Who is that?" Ryou mused aloud.

"I think we know who is running the show for them now…" Keiichiro replied.

* * *

"_Pudding can get us in with this," Pudding said, pulling out a small silk bag. She dug through it and pulled out a small incense stick, "This is a secret incense created in central Aquis China, deep in the mountains. It is a type of inhaled sedative. It allows you to get by your enemies so you and quietly ki-"_

"_Why do you have those things?"_ Ichigo pulled out the incense that Pudding had given her a few days ago that was still tucked away in her waitress uniform. That conversation seemed so far away… She shook her head, knowing not to focus on that too much.

'Tonight is about getting Zakuro-san to listen to me! She has to! She just cannot go back to her normal life…' Ichigo thought, collecting up the incense and a small box of matches. She still wasn't sure how to use it but she guessed that it couldn't be that hard. Masha sat on her shoulder, as loyal as ever, she moved the two objects to him.

"Can you store these for me?" She asked, Masha chirped, swallowing them and storing them for use later on. Ichigo patted her little companion before sliding on a sky blue, knee length dress that her mother had brought for her birthday. She twirled around in it, enjoying it before she looked back at the T.V guide that was laid out on her desk. Zakuro was this week's guest appearance on the live broadcasted show Ani Ani Animal were celebrities are given 'abnormal and weird' animals to pat.

'After all that we have seen, I don't think anything will phase her,' Ichigo thought as she took a breath. 'Okay, sneak in, find her, explain everything and ask for her help. If it doesn't work, keep bugging her until she gives in, works in the sims, should work in real life,' She giggled a little and looked at her furry friend.

"Let's knock them dead Masha!" Ichigo smiled, Masha cheered as he fluttered around.

"Let's Ichigo! Let's go!" He said, each word filling her with more confidence.

'That's right… I can't dwell on negatives or I myself will become negative. I'm Ichigo Momomiya, the bright, bubbly optimist girl!' She told herself as she waved goodbye to her mother, slipping on her shoes. Thankfully her father wasn't home so getting outside the house at this time wasn't too much of a drama. She looked up at the sky, noticing how the sun took longer to slid across the sky. She stretched her arms and took off to the broadcasting studio. 'Once I get Zakuro-san, then I won't be alone! Word about Mint's disappearance must have reached Hitomi by now, soon I'm guessing Lettuce's family might report her missing too… She can't stay hidden away from us for much longer. I just have to wait for her to wind up at the Cafe,'.

Ichigo stopped in front of a large building in the CBD of Aquis Tokyo. She looked up the building, leaning back to find satellite dishes and radio towers attached to the roof of the tall building, alongside the neon sign reading, 'Channel AT'.

"Yep! This is it!" She told herself as she peered into the glass revolving door. The first room, of course, had security guards in it and a few receptionists as well. Ichigo took a deep breath, knowing that the incense that Pudding gave her was her only hope of getting into the building. "Masha, the incense and matches," She asked, holding out her hands to catch it. She opened the box, pulling out a match and struck the tip, bursting it into flames. She waited for the incense to burn and she slipped into the revolving door, trying to pretend to be a troublesome teenager having fun walking through a revolving door. She then dropped the stick of incense, leaving it to burn inside the building. She jumped out and ran back onto the street.

"Please work…" She sighed and waited for a few minutes to pass.

* * *

"I can't fix this with her laying so unnaturally. They must have just dumped them in here like a bag of trash! Wake up please," A quiet voice sounded, disturbing the darkness that held Mew Lettuce. Her head was throbbing with dark mist, attacking her brain, Mew Lettuce's first instinct was to hold her head but then another pain, more sharper throbbed in her shoulder. Her green eyes slowly opened to find a girl around her age sitting in front of her with several pots and containers around her. She could make out a purple dress and black material leg-warmer type of clothing on her thighs and arms. However soon she was able to see passed her thick, white hair to see two elf ears.

"An Alien!" Mew Lettuce shrieked, moving away from the figure. She stopped as her shoulder protested, pain scratching along her arm. She whimpered in pain, letting her injured arm lay limp.

"I said don't move! Or that'll get worse," Keeki told her, pointing at Mew Lettuce's wound. Her fingertips were covered in blue-green, healing root jell. Mew Lettuce flinched as Keeki made her way over to her and smeared the jell on her wound. Mew Lettuce wailed at the stinging, her lips shivering and her large green eyes fixed on Keeki whose eyes were fixed on the wound.

"Wha-what are you doing?" Mew Lettuce asked.

"Helping you," Keeki said simply as she inspected the wound, "Is it stinging?" Keeki asked her. Mew Lettuce nodded slowly, "Then it's working, all creams and jell sting when they work," Keeki muttered, leaning back for some bandage material.

"So, you're not trying to kill me?" Mew Lettuce whispered.

"No, if I wanted to why would I wake you up?" Keeki replied.

"B-but then why bring us here?"

"I didn't, I have nothing to do with this plan…"

"But aren't all you alie-"

"Kaerufans, we aren't aliens, we are a race. We are Kaerufans," Keeki cut her off, annoyed of hearing her being referred to as an alien, "I'm Keeki and I'm not a warrior like Kish and Sasujiro. I'm here to record and study humans," Keeki said, continuing to tend to Mew Lettuce's wound.

"Sasujiro?" The green Mew echoed, "We never saw him…"

"Obviously, what good is a warrior, or sniper for that matter that you can hear miles away?" Keeki put forward as she finished tending to Mew Lettuce's wound. A long silence fell over them until Keeki pulled away and proceeded to check over the unconscious Mews. Mew Mint's eyelashes were twined together by tears and she fidgeted in her sleep. She then walked over to Mew Pudding who looked fine as well, not a scratch on her at all. Mew Lettuce looked at her surroundings, she was either in a cave or underground. The floor had been packed in hard and the walls carved out. On the far side of room was a metallic door, Mew Lettuce motioned towards it but Keeki saw her in the corner of her eye, "I wouldn't even try, want to get ambushed by two warriors that got you in here?" Mew Lettuce looked down, giving up before she made her way to the other girls.

"Why…? Why are you here? What are you doing?" Mew Lettuce asked, "We know your using the Para Para to infect animals, turning them into war animals but why?" Her body trembled but if there was no escape then why should she been afraid now?

"You… you really don't know do you…." Keeki mumbled, "Like I thought…" Mew Lettuce looked at her, pleading for an answer.

"Why are you protecting humans? Look what they did to this planet, it's polluted beyond belief… You aren't a human, you are just as human as I am…" Keeki asked her. Mew Lettuce stopped herself from blurting out her other identity but it made her think for a second, looking down at the ground, her emerald eyes flickering.

"Because… blood shouldn't be spilled. Fighting is a horrible thing that only produces pain. Please, tell me what is so important to fight us over? Land? Wealth? Tell me!"

"A grudge…" Keeki murmured before shaking her head, "To be honest, I am not too sure anymore but… everyone else has a reason…" She turned to Mew Lettuce and smiled, "I like you, I thought you guys to be like them," She motioned her head to the door and Mew Lettuce smiled.

"Sorry, but why did you help me?"

"Because, you are a living being like me and…" Keeki stopped, trying to find the words before she stood up, "I don't want to be anything like them…" She said as she walked to the entrance. She turned back around and pointed to the others, "Wake them up if you wish, Sasujiro's darts have a heavy effect…" She said before she left the cage made for the Mew Mews.

"Yo! Keeki-chan, checking up on our toys?" Kish asked as Keeki passed them. She glanced at him and nodded slowly, her lips in a thin line.

"Toys? Oh, you mean the Mews? Yes… I was," She murmured as she walked by and slipped into her room. Paru was peacefully sleeping on her bed, leaving the room in silence. Just what Keeki needed. She grabbed the last history book Kish gave her, reading through it while making notes.

"_Why are you here? What are you doing?"_ Mew Lettuce's words rang in her mind.

'I should be asking you that… After that disaster, how did you get here?' Keeki thought. She tried to concentrate on the book but again and again images of the frightened Mew Mew kept surfacing. She bled just like Keeki, felt emotions, could talk and smile and feel pain.

"Toys? Give me a fucking break!" Keeki snapped, throwing the book on the ground, "Kish can seriously annoy me!" She said aloud, holding her head and she collapsed on the bed, waking Paru up in the process. Paru sleepily nudged her, sensing an internal conflict inside of her.

"_Fighting is a horrible thing that only produces pain,"_

"Yes… Yet, you are fighting back… Is that irony or simply its what you've been reduced too?"

* * *

"Twenty minutes Fujiwara-san," A passing studio crew member yelled through the door.

"Okay, thank you," Zakuro replied as she checked herself over, inspecting her makeup work. Luckily it had been able to cover any blemish on her skin and the dark bags under her eyes. She sighed and sat down on a chair, lazing back to stretch her body. Her eyes were drooping a little from fatigue but she shook it off as she looked over the city. She then flinched as she felt that itch again in her gut. She bit her lip, unfortunately in her beautifully done makeup and outfit, she just looked like she was doing an alluring photo shoot.

'No matter what I can't escape it can I? These feelings…' She sighed and rested her forehead in her hand.

She had tried to go about her normal day, to wake up and visit the church with Calum, ignore his innuendo jokes and overacting and then ignore the stares in public, during school and maybe sign the occasional photo book or pose with a tourist. Yet, it all felt fleeting, every moment was empty and dull.

'This world is going to end, I don't know how, of course it has something to do with that alien and those monsters. Is it an invasion? A declaration of war? No, then everyone would have known about it… Then, the whole reason why I'm like this is to fight back… Not that I mind, I would protect the world if it would make others safe and if it was the only way to wash away my sins I would but fighting brings on more sins doesn't it? Anyway, someone did this to me without my permission. They did this to me without thinking of me. I'm nothing but their biological weapon…' She frowned into the mirror on front of her, stopping her thought before slumped down on the desk in front of her, 'What happened to me?'

"Excuse me!" Ichigo said as she jumped into the room, not noticing Zakuro and fell to the ground. She looked around, her heart thundering in her chest as she listened out for the security guards chasing her.

'Of course they have more guards stationed around! But Pudding's incense did work wonders…' She thought when her eyes landed on Zakuro's surprised gaze.

"Za-za-Zakuro-san!" She stuttered, surprised at so easily and conveniently she had found her.

"How did you get in here?" Zakuro asked as Ichigo began to fluster, scratching her cheek as she tried to come up with something.

"Where did she go?" A gravelly voice called out. Ichigo jumped a little, her cat ears popping out in the process. She slinked back from the door before looking up at Zakuro.

"I sorta got in here… In a manner that didn't… Rub well with security," Ichigo nervously laughed. Zakuro looked at her emotionlessly, making Ichigo's heart thud sickly, her cat ears flattening down.

'Will she just turn me in?' Ichigo thought as footsteps approached the door, stopping behind it.

"Fujiwara-san, please tell us if you see a young girl around," The gravelly voice spoke through the door. It was softened a little, in an attempt to sound polite or he is nervous speaking to Zakuro face to face so he spoke through the door. Zakuro glanced down at Ichigo, one eyebrow raised questionably at her.

"Thank you, I will inform you if I see her," Zakuro replied, Ichigo let out a sigh of relief, her cat ears turning back into her human ears. The footsteps walked away and Zakuro sighed.

"Does that happen often?" Zakuro asked.

"What? Me sneaking into places?" Ichigo asked.

"No," Zakuro pointed to her ears, "That,"

"Oh… It only happens when your animal DNA gets the better of you. It happens mostly when you're really angry, happy or surprised," Ichigo explained, "I don't think that you will have a problem with that," Ichigo pointed out. Zakuro relaxed a little bit still kept a standoffish pose and distance from Ichigo.

"Did you have something that you wanted to talk about?" Zakuro asked, walking back to her chair. Ichigo's nervous smile dropped, her eyebrows lowered seriously as she nodded.

"Zakuro-san, Mint, Lettuce and Pudding, my nakama have all been captured by Kish and his companions," Ichigo started off, Zakuro became a little unsettled but she kept her cool, "Hitomi has yet to find them but when she does, I just have one request. Can you please come with me and save them? Who knows what Kish could do to them. Shirogane and Akasaka-san said you're the only one that could help me," Ichigo pleaded, bowing deeply to Zakuro. Zakuro flinched at the names, pondering in her head about how they could be.

"Shirogane? Akasaka? Are they the ones that did this to us?"

"Huh… Umm, yes, they created the Mew Project, we are its final product…"

"Heh…" Zakuro chuckled halfheartedly, "Product… We are living beings, humans, not a bomb developed to create destruction. They did not think of us, I have no intentions of helping out selfish people like them… No matter the reason," Zakuro hissed, glaring down at her hands that were recoiling into fists. Her sharpened nails poked uncomfortably into her skin, fueling the pit of rage in her stomach. Ichigo sighed and walked up closer to Zakuro before she bowed again.

"Please, Zakuro-san, my friends are in danger," Ichigo stood back up and stared deeply at Zakuro, "If I go alone, I'll be captured by them and I can tell Zakuro-san, that ignoring your injected DNA and this situation isn't as easy as it sounds! I can see it in your eyes!" Ichigo pressed closer to Zakuro who shrunk back at the close contact. She couldn't think of what to say, Ichigo had seen right through her cool, calm and collected act. Her strawberry gaze broke her ditzy, cheerful, young teenage girl appearance. For a second, she looked like a passionate, mature adult. Zakuro knew that ignoring the fate of this world was hard, the more reports appearing the news only refreshed the issue in her mind.

'Am I just being stubborn? Should I just help?' Zakuro thought, 'But…' Her blood boiled as she remembered the bright white light that covered her body that Saturday. She bit her tongue and focused back on Ichigo, 'She is just like me…. Thrown into this situation…'

"Why did you go along with it? Aren't you upset about it?" Zakuro asked her. Ichigo looked up, her finger touching her chin thoughtfully.

"Well, at first I wasn't but the only way to get back to normal is to work along with Shirogane and Akasaka-san. Also, the world is at stake so my mother, father and Aoy-" She stopped before she mentioned Masaya's name. Zakuro's eyebrows rose again questionably at how she paused on a name in particular, "Well if I'm protecting people dear to me then I'm happy," Ichigo smiled at Zakuro.

"Aren't you scared of me?" Zakuro asked, "After what I did when I transformed?" Ichigo froze at her comment, surprised that Zakuro would bring it up. Ichigo had expected Zakuro to play off that event like it never happened.

'Does she feel bad about it? Or is she curious of how I feel about her?' Ichigo thought as she shook her head.

"No, we have all snapped like that at some stage. We are all going through the same thing… Zakuro-san, please help me…" Ichigo jumped back onto topic, "They are my important friends! We can't have a single person missing!" Ichigo pleaded, touching her hand gently. Zakuro's gaze went from Ichigo's eyes to her hand that was resting over hers.

"Fujiwara-san, it's time," Someone called through the door. Zakuro finched as she was snapped back into reality. She stood up, ripping herself from Ichigo and walked off to the door.

"Zakuro-san…" Ichigo mumbled, watching her every moment.

"Stay in here or you'll get caught… Sorry but I have to go…" Zakuro said as she opened the door, slipping out of view. Ichigo sighed, her head dropping and she walked over to the large window. She felt restless, she couldn't stay cooped up in this room.

"Ichigo! It's bad!" Masha popped out of his keychain form, fluttering nearby Ichigo, "Aliens! Para Para! They here!" He reported. Ichigo hissed, looking around the room.

'Goddamn! I can't leave this room, if security finds me then…' Ichigo's thoughts trailed off as her large pink gaze fell on an air vent and a grate that was in reach and around Ichigo's size. She had seen enough movies, played enough games to know what to do.

"Mew Mew Strawberry Metamorphosis!" She kissed her Mew Pendent and transformed. As soon as the light washed away, leaving her with her Mew form, she flicked her tail up, "Strawberry Bell!" She watched the bell float from her tail's bell and form in front of her. She grabbed it and pointed it to the grate.

* * *

Ryou blinked slowly, his vision focusing as sleep left him. He bolted up, pain running along his back in the process. Sleeping bent over a bench, almost sliding off the office chair wasn't the best sleeping position for his body.

'Damnit, if I didn't have that damn ten minute rule then I could just sleep as a damn cat. I could sleep anywhere comfortably. Damn, when did I fall asleep?' He thought before she shook his head and cleared his throat. He stood up, walking towards the closest bathroom, hoping that a shower would help bring him back out of fatigue's hold. The café was in silence, Keiichiro either resting as well or he was helping Ichigo through Masha, viewing the constant data sent back along with video clips of what was happening. Ryou considered joining him when he heard a door slam from upstairs. Ryou focused his hearing, it was definitely the backdoor on the ground floor. He just dismissed it, Keiichiro doing something when he passed an opened door. He stopped, peering into the partially lighted room when an uneasy feeling rumbled in his stomach, creeping up his spine.

'That's the room with all of our artifacts…' He thought and he walked inside, the door unlocked and left open. That made Ryou a little apprehensive, this room was strictly locked at all times, left in darkness if no one is in side it yet a lone light was switched on, giving a shaft of light onto an opened container. Ryou rushed over to it, observing the container. It was empty. 'This… this held that object that was a pendent similar to the Mew Pendent, made up of the same pattern… Who took it? Wh-' His thoughts stopped when he smelt something, he smacked himself for not doing this sooner. It was strange, it had a smell of fruit scented soaps and the tang of shampoo but there was something else, the faint smell of rust on metal with the pungent smell of bird feathers. It was familiar… but he hadn't smelt it in a whi-

It clicked.

She was here.

"Midori no sukafu! Awarareru!" Ryou yelled, the green scarf wrapping around him. His body shrunk, his bones reforming and fur covered his skin. He felt a little unnerved at how quickly he had gotten used to his feeling. Alto bolted out of the room and up the stairs of the Café. The scent was trailing to the backdoor and was getting stronger. His paws trod rapidly through the gravel car park, diving under Keiichiro's pride and joy, his red Ferrari and jumped over the little flowerbeds. He followed the scent, it was running deep into the park but Alto knew he was getting closer to her.

He swerved off the brick path and into a clump of deserted trees to find a lone figure. Alto stopped, padding up to the girl who was kneeling on the ground, hugging her legs and frame while her head was dug into her knees. Her blonde hair spilt over her shaking form and in front of her was the artifact. It was no bigger than a hand and was a pendent, it was just like Ichigo's Mew Mark or the Mew Pendent pattern. A large heart but the two large flicked framed the heart and made a more circular hoop that the heart sat in. The four little drops or flicks were sitting the right position, hanging from the circular hoop. Alto sat beside it and meow,ed getting her attention. He was ready for the burning sensation, the trickling that ran down his neck but when his icy blue eyes fell onto creamy red and green…

Nothing.

"Ryou-san… Is that you?" Hitomi asked, wiping her eyes. Alto nodded, meowing again before he ripped off the green scarf. Hitomi watched with wide eyes as the little cat in front of her morphed into Ryou, how the body shook and trembled, it reminded her of horror movies.

"Hitomi, we knew you would come back… You know about the others right?" Ryou wasted no time asking about the other, "Why did you steal the artifact as well, you know something abo-"

"Ryou," She stopped him dead, dropping all formality between them. She shook her head as she tried to control her breathing, "I heard, they are all gone except for Fujiwara and Ichigo… but… I can't see… I can't see them anymore! I've tried and tried again! I told Mint Ane-chan that I would stop using my powers after we had a fight but I thought that it would just be ignoring a little brother… Just tuning it out but… I… can't remember how to see them anymore…"

* * *

**Zoey Hoshi:** I had to put in the scene with Keeki to progress things a little more smoothly and for Keeki's biggest fan KuwaNeko! She is okay & thank you for your support through almost all of my chapters! =^.^=

**Hitomi:** What about me? I've been gone for ages as well

**Zoey Hoshi:** It's good to have you back to Hitomi! Eight chapters to go!


	32. Because You're A Friend

**Author's Note**: Over a week, I have been ill with the flu for that long, I can't believe it! Anyway, I'm well enough to go back to school, can't wait for all the catching up, notes, homework and English speech… Woo… Can you detect my sarcasm? Bad news, I've been slammed hard with assessments and I have taken on a heavy work load at school so unfortunately the animation is dropped. We are thinking of doing perhaps an audio book along with images, we still do want to do something with this story. Sorry about that but we only have 7 chapters to go now!

**Note:** I am Australian, and we have alternative ways of spelling certain words from America. Eg. Mum/Mom, -ise/-ize, -or/-uor etc.

I know it is a major pain to do this, but please leave comments/reviews etc. because it **really** does cheer me up, knowing that this story is actually read and liked by people. **Thank you and sorry for all this!**

* * *

**Chapter 32: Because you're a friend**

Zakuro sat on the long lounges in a studio, cameras stationed around them, staring at her from all angles. Zakuro was used to it, perhaps a million people right now were watching her right now through those cameras. She focused on the hosts sitting on the opposite couch, mainly asking her meaningless questions to open the show while the animal handlers got ready to bring out animals for her, like her fans don't know about her upcoming cameo in a drama television show or her new photo book release.

'Just try to scare me,' Zakuro thought jokingly, 'See if it'll scare me… Not everyone fits into the normal Japanese girl stereotype,' However at that thought, the image of the pink haired, ponytail girl came into her mind. Her strawberry eyes looking at her with great intensity but she still held her cheery, happy and schoolgirl-like characteristics. The more Zakuro thought about Ichigo the more she gave credit to her, she was adapting well to the situation that was thrown on her and she is a good leader of the other girls.

'_Submit…_' Her wolf DNA whispered, crawling along her spine as if stalking her, '_Alpha needs help, alpha needs pack… Pack…_' Zakuro tried to block the voice out, listening into the host of the show but it was like trying to ignore a police siren.

"So Fujiwara-san, do you like animals?" The main host asked, looking at her with a professional smile.

"Yes, I love them and I like to do to help organisations that protect our animals, after all they are important to our planet. Also, please call me Zakuro," Zakuro gave back the professional smile as the host chuckled.

"Okay then, Zakuro-san," He said as another man approached her, in his outstretched arms was a large carpet python, "Our first animal is the Australian Morelia Spilota Metcalfei, a species of snake known commonly as the Carpet Python. It is only found around the Murray-Darling Basin area. They are non-venomous and are constriction predators," The host gave off a description to the silvery-gray snake, lined with patterns of dark and mild browns, "Care to pe-" Zakuro stopped listening when a strange prickle ran along her spine. Her stomach turned, twisting in alarm and dread. Her purple eyes searched the area and she slowly stood up, yet the hosts just thought she was going to touch the Carpet python. The crew and staff that watched over all the camera feeds realised that she wasn't paying attention to the show anymore, a few staring off in the same direction to find what she was staring at.

Mew Ichigo bit her lip as she crawled along the small ventilation system, her elbows were starting to turn red, sore from being dragged over thin sheets of mixed metals. Masha stopped at a grate, his large pink eyes flashing white as a little whirling noise sounded from him.

"Alien!" He reported, Mew Ichigo huffed, moving to the grate to look around. It was the filming studio for Ani Ani Animal but a few people, including Zakuro were looking at something. Mew Ichigo moved around and flinched when she found Kish floating, thanks to his anklets and he was opening a portal for the Para Paban, all healed from last night.

'Damnit, he is here!' Mew Ichigo hissed and grabbed her Strawberry bell, pressing it to the grate.

"Ribbon Strawberry Check!" Mew Ichigo yelled, smashing out of her confined prison. Metal was melted or blown apart, flying across the studio. The people within the studio moved out of the way frantically, screaming and yelling piercing through the air as Mew Ichigo landed perfectly, feet first between Kish, the Para Paban and Zakuro. Everyone stared at Mew Ichigo, wide-eyed before looking at the monster and finally the floating elf boy who was just smiling devilishly.

"You showed up quickly, I just picked a random building to cause some mischief and you show up before anything starts… Impressive…" Kish laughed but Mew Ichigo just glared back, flailing her Strawberry bell around.

"Kish is everything just a game to you?" Mew Ichigo asked as he fell down to her quickly. Mew Ichigo staggered back but Kish's white hands wrapped around Ichigo's wrists, stopping her and he shoved his face sheer millimeters from hers.

"Everything is much more interesting if you see things that way but… you, my kitten, I'm not joking around…" He whispered, touching his nose with hers. His touch was cold, sending shivers over her skin.

"As if you jerk!" Mew Ichigo hissed, slamming her knee with all her strength into his stomach. For the first time it felt so great to feel her knee connect with his bare skin, sending waves of pain through his delicate body. Kish coughed up, his stomach's contents sliding around to make room for Mew Ichigo's knee. He lost his grip on her, his hands moving to his throbbing gut. Mew Ichigo knew to run away from him as soon as possible but there was another voice in her mind, telling her to take advantage of the situation. She smacked her hand over Kish's cheek, some part of her indulging in the sound of her hand slicing the air, picking up momentum before it smashed into Kish's cheek. It hurt, pain itching at her palm but it was worth it to see the red blossom on his cheek. However, during this the Para Paban dived forward, crashing into the set. Mew Ichigo jerked as she heard the shattering of glass and recording equipment. The staff started to retreat, heading to the fire escape and flooding out but Zakuro stayed, frozen to the spot as she glared at the Para Paban. It leaned up, looking down at her before letting out a shriek and nosedived towards Zakuro. She jumped over the coffee table that was placed between the two lounges on the set, preparing to jump away when the Para Paban slammed into her. She was flung across the room, wind running over her and her long red dress blowing around in the gale before her upper body and arm slammed into the hard ground. She hissed and grunted as the pain burnt down her body slowly, pushing out her breath but it wasn't anything impairing. She moved herself up, only to be staring into the large, black, lifeless-like eyes of the Para Paban.

"Ribbon Strawberry Bubble!" Mew Ichigo screamed as she skidded to a stop in front of Zakuro, creating a safe haven for herself and Zakuro. Zakuro glanced around at the light barrier before looking at Mew Ichigo.

"Than-"

"Run! Get out of here!" Mew Ichigo hissed at her, Zakuro gaped at her, shocked at how she had changed. That cord of her wolf DNA strummed, telling her to listen to her 'alpha'.

'Alpha this, alpha that… I'm not listening to anyone that commands me to do stuff!' Zakuro thought irritably, 'I do things on my own account!'

"Why are you helping me so much? You know that I can save myself and fight,"

"You're a friend… That's why!" The pink Mew Mew said, shocking Zakuro.

'Friend... Only Calum as called himself that to me…' She thought when a loud crack literally burst their bubble of safety. Mew Ichigo tried to jump out of the way but a large beam of light broke through, the Para Paban yowling in delight as it flushed out its pray from its hiding place.

'Damnit, it can use energy attacks like us?' Mew Ichigo thought before her head smashed against a blunt metal column, she grunted in pain but darkness enveloped her, haziness filling her, 'I ca-can't black out like this… N…no…'

Zakuro hadn't expected the attack and was flung across the room again, she braced for impact as she slammed into and rolled across the rubble filled floor until she hit the wall. She groaned, pain throbbing and thudding in her body as she blinked her eyes open slowly.

"You are mine now!" Kish yelled as he dived on Mew Ichigo again. He threw his weight onto her, pinning her back to the ground. She yelped softly as her last strains of consciousness started to rip away from her. Kish summoned his Dragon Swords, slicing one through one of her armbands, the other in his hand. Mew Ichigo's head felt heavy, spinning with blurring spots and as Kish leaned closer to her, he realised that the attack had left her beaten and dazed, "Good job Para Paban, you've made her all prepared," He said to the loyal war animal as he ran a hand over her body from her neck, over her heaving chest and down her slender stomach to the end of her pink corset. He felt a jolt in energy, sparking from in between his legs. His blood seemed to warm up, he could felt it running through his thighs, through his neck, his pulse increasing as blood ran through the erectile tissue, preparing him to devour Mew Ichigo. She was perfect in his eyes, the way her silky skin bruised, the way her eyes dulled as pain bloomed in her, to the warped, lust-filled and excited mind of Kish, she was his ultimate prize. He put his free dragon sword at the edge of her corset, preparing to rip through her clothes to get to her sweaty, delicious skin when an image filled his head. The female figure was conscious, trembling in fear, or was it excitement? Her large, bare breasts were giggling each time her chest heaved. Her crimson bangs began to stick to her sweaty face as large hazel eyes looked him down, watery and shining with fear yet a strange terrified curiousity and passion.

'Sutoroberi… Why am I thinking of her right now?' He thought of his hazy sexual encounter with the Mew Ichigo-like clone before she shook his head, wiping it from his memory, 'She was only practise, this is the real thing,' He chuckled as he slipped his legs inside her perfect, warm thighs, running a free hand along them.

Zakuro heaved herself up to her feet, watching the distracted Kish and Para Paban. Her guts squirmed, retracted back as an enraged growl rumbled in her throat. Her pupils contracted, focusing on the scum in front of her.

'He is going to rape her when she is dazed? That's fucking asshole! I swear, I'm going to tear him apart!' She thought, pulling the Mew Pendent from her pocket. It had felt so heavy in her possession, questioning whether to throw it away or use it. She had felt conflicted over the past few days, it was either join the younger girls and play along into the hands of the monsters that did this but at the same time, she was protecting people from scum like Kish. Zakuro had often heard about 'sisterhood' between women, but she had ever believed it but thinking of these younger girls dealing with this Mew Mew situation instead of ignoring it like a spoilt made Zakuro feel stupid and belittled and seeing this boy do what he wanted with such a young, care-free girl, it pulled a trigger in her mind. Zakuro sighed, throwing away her 'pride armour' and kissed the Mew Zakuro pendent, 'Ichigo, Mew Ichigo, you better be right about this being the only option left for me… Thank you for calling me your friend and now I'll show you my gratitude and this will make up for my sins…'

"Mew Mew Zakuro Metamorphosis!" Zakuro whispered, she could feel her body morph, bones and skin distorting but it didn't fill her with hatred, it felt right. Her wolf DNA didn't scream as her brown-gray fur spurted out on her tail and ears. She walked out of the purple light, lowering her head and growling loudly, her fur sticking up and shivering before she charged, hearing the ripping of Mew Ichigo's corset. Kish stopped, glancing up to see Mew Zakuro, swinging her Zakuro Whip around, "Ribbon Zakuro Pure!" The string of purple light whipped through the air and Mew Zakuro slammed it down to Kish. The Zakuro Pure wrapped itself neatly around its upper arm and with all if her strength, Mew Zakuro pulled Kish off Mew Ichigo and towards her as she prepared her fist. Kish felt a burn of panic and alarm in his gut, not mixing well with the deep rooted arousal in his crotch and then Mew Zakuro slammed her fist into Kish's face as hard as she could slam her knuckles into his nose. Kish yelled in pain, his nose loudly cracking as Mew Zakuro broke his nose, her fist burning and throbbing with pain but that shiver-worth crack was worth it, filling her with satisfaction before she whipped Kish around in the Zakuro Pure before she sent him flying across the studio, running over to Mew Ichigo who was just coming to her bearings.

"What…?"

"He tried to rape you…" Mew Zakuro informed her. Mew Ichigo swore silently, clenching her teeth as she pulled the sai away, allowing her to stand up.

"Again…" She mumbled, Mew Zakuro paused at that, realising that this was a regular occurrence for her. She felt even more sorry for the poor girl, she was only thirteen and she had to protect people from him and monster. Another wave of respect washed over her for the pink Mew Mew while Mew Ichigo just realised that Mew Zakuro had transformed, "You're going to help me?" She smiled, her pink eyes shining brightly.

"Nup," She said, Mew Ichigo's face dropping instantly, "I'll be honest, I'm not used to friends, big groups and people controlling my life but… I guess I'll let it slide for now if it's for the rest of the world... I'm sorry I didn't join earlier…" Mew Zakuro smiled slightly. Mew Ichigo lit up, her arms wrapping around Mew Zakuro's slim and tall frame.

"Yes! Thank you! Thank you!"

"Celebrations can wait, we have to deal with this first…" Mew Zakuro pointed out as the Para Paban roared again.

* * *

"I was able to help you because of my natural gift, this power of mine. That was the only reason why I was able to help… Now but… Now I'm useless…" Hitomi sobbed as Ryou sat down beside her. His mind was blank, constricting his throat as he tried to think of what to say.

'This is just perfect, perfect timing…' Ryou thought as Hitomi wiped the tears from her eyes, 'She 'lost' this power so now our only hope of finding the other mews is that communicator I found but I still don't trust it…' Ryou grunted, rubbing his forehead as a few hot throbs warned him of a large-scale headache. 'Ichigo better get Zakuro to join or we are back to square one…'

"You're not useless you know that idiot," Ryou sighed, turning to the weeping girl. She stopped and looked up at him, a little surprised at how he stared at her with a half annoyed, half sincere gaze. She laughed once although it sounded more like a hiccup.

"Yeah? I'm just a mere mortal now," She said, sniffing once or twice, "How can I help now? Apart from the café work…"

'Gah, I have to pump out more cliché motivational words… I really have to write these speeches down…' Ryou chuckled to himself, imagining many years after the Mews have saved the planet, school kids would be studying his speeches for english assessments, "As if, one can dream though,'

"You are part of the girls now, you can't back out. You have always done a couple of crucial jobs," Ryou told her.

"Ha, like what?"

"You control them all when they snap, that is always handy. Controlling and covering up a flapping mermaid in the hallway or a chattering monkey on the ceiling fan isn't a joyful afternoon activity. If you weren't around, business wouldn't be good at all ," Ryou laughed, Hitomi shrugged her shoulders but she had a thin smile on her lips.

"Hey, you don't need that money anyway Mr. Millionaire but I guess that is true…"

"You keep Mint in check… Occasionally Ichigo as well," Ryou turned to her, "That is much appreciated," Ryou laughed slightly, Hitomi clearly reading his gaze. When Ichigo snapped at Ryou, it would fly into a catfight. Hitomi laughed along with him, sniffing a little as Ryou breathed out, "But the main thing is that you keep them on target. Hitomi, you laugh with them, cry with them and create a bridge between social barriers that would have been solidly built over years…" Hitomi knew what he meant by that, Ryou hadn't spend his whole life in splender but Mint had and with someone like her father telling her how to look down on others, if it wasn't for Hitomi, perhaps she wouldn't have listened nor would she had let Ichigo lead them. "Hitomi you are important to the group, with or without powers so don't fall into this brooding, moping trend that everyone has been falling into lately," Ryou grunted, rubbing his forehead again, "I hear stress ages you, I would like to keep my looks," Ryou jeered.

"Yes, it would be a tragic loss to this planet, no this galaxy if you got a white hair prematurely. Perhaps if you got older, Lettuce won't take any interest in you," Hitomi sneered playfully, rubbing her eyes a little bit. Ryou threw her a, 'talk about it again, I'll kill you,' look before he rubbed his eyes.

'I've had enough giving these motivational speeches today. Is this what I'm in for? Years and years of speeches where I have to sound sincere, heartfelt yet powerful and strong? Yesh, I didn't think of this… Next person who needs a speech, Keiichiro can pull his weight. All he does is stand still, smile and act like a gentleman. That's the life, that's the easy end of this project…' Ryou shook his head, the throbbing increasing before disappearing again. He pointed down at the artifact in front of Hitomi and cleared his throat, getting her full attention.

"So why did you come into the café and steal this without a word?"

"Well if you tell someone then your not every good at stealing," Hitomi jeered before she let out a breath, "I came into the Café after I got word that Mint Ane-chan and Lettuce had disappeared. Everything was quiet and empty so I was just sitting around, pondering where to look for you when I… Well, I don't think I've lost my ability totally…" She trailed off.

"What do you mean?"

"I saw this, it was loud and bright. I had to follow it, I haven't seen a thing for a few days so followed it but it was stuck behind this door. I thought it must be important if the door was locked but I couldn't leave it. I saw a key nearby so I used it and slunk in and found this artifact. I don't know, I was drawn to it, something told me that… that… this was mine…"

"What do you mean something told you? Did a person tell you?"

"No… It was… My voice told me to take it, words sounding from my heart. There was more but they were all jumbled inside, floating words and letters that didn't make sense so I ran… I just wanted to be alone and…" She stopped and motioned with her arm, "Here we are…" She sighed and looked at the artifact, observing it as Ryou ruffled his hair in frustration.

'What does this mean? What voice? I don't understand? Why must I be surrounded by puzzles? Can't god give me a break and just hand me something that can be explained easily?' Ryou hissed mentally when something clicked, 'Voice… Voice of her heart….'

"The girls said that!" Ryou jumped up, understanding completely, "I've felt that… Holy shit, why didn't I notice it sooner! It's a damn pendent after all…. Your abilities and powers… It all makes sense but you've had these powers since birth… This is another whole puzzle about the Mew Project now! I've gotta run some tests after this! It makes goddamn sense now!" Ryou rambled, pacing back and forth while Hitomi watched him, her eyes glinting with confusion.

"Mind filling me on what is going on?" Hitomi asked as Ryou turned to her.

"Hold that pendent… Kiss it even… Just say the first thing that comes to your mind…" Ryou explained feverishly, a scientific excitement stirring in his gut.

"What…?"

"Just do it!" Ryou pleaded and Hitomi sighed, picking up the artifact and slowly moved it to her lips. She paused and threw a glance at Ryou, who just nodded impatiently, Hitomi sighed and kissed the cold pendent. Her heart began to thud in her chest, tickling her almost as blood ran in her veins. The words began to rise in her throat, letter and words that were stringing together as if they were cells dividing, creating new life. Her lips trembled as the words registered in her mind, pressing the pendent down on the right hand side of her chest.

"Seeker Hitomi, Open your eyes…" She mumbled vaguely and the pendent shone, the age ripping off it as it was reverted to its original gold colouring, just like the Mew Pendents. Ryou stepped back as Hitomi was covered in white light, streaks of different coloured lights, all the colours of the spectrum as an outfit was crafted for her.

'Amazing… Just like a Mew Mew but… Did she say seeker? Amazing… That pendent must choose a person who has this incredible gift to find the Mew Mews… Damnit! If only she had seen that pendent earlier! So much for being useless to us! That also explains why she could use the Mint Arrow all that time ago. She is a helper, an outer protector of the Mews… Amazing,'

The light washed away, leaving him to gawk at the girl in front of her. The pendent was fixed above her right breast where a long strip of material grew from under it, reaching the to her waist. It was multicoloured, all the colours of the Spectrum in order in thick streaks. A strange corset started at her bust, appearing like silvery-white feathers on her skin and ended at her hips in a flurry of feathers. A white tutu-like skirt grew out of feathery corset, sticking up due to the layers of white, fluttering, semi-transparent lace under the skirt. Her hair was loosely tied up into a smaller ponytail, strands of blonde hair tickling her shoulders. Her ponytail was held up by a fluffy pale, mint green tie and around her neck was a similar fluffy light, strawberry red colour chocker. To finish of her outfit, she had white knee-length, flat boots and white elbow-length gloves.

"What the…" Her voice trailed off as she stumbled back, "I'm just… I'm just supposed to be -"

"Normal? You haven't been normal since the day you were born," Ryou pointed out, "You know who you are right now right?"

"I think so… I'm not Hitomi but… This sounds so stupid! Now I know what the Mews were talking about but… I'm Seeker Hitomi…"

"Is there anything else? Any other words?" Ryou asked, hoping to get something else more out of this. Seeker Hitomi stood in front of him, confusion plastered clearly on her face but she swallowed hard as closed her eyes tightly.

"YES! I CAN SEE THEM! I CAN SEE THEM!" She cheered, holding her head as she started to laugh, her body trembling as her happiness turned to tears, "I can see Keiichiro, even Masha! I can pin-point the exact location of Mew Ichigo! They just appear! I can see Kish as well… Thank god, thank god… I thought… I thought I was useless that I was blind…"

"I guess that Pendent… Let's call it the Seeker Pendent, I guess it helped you control your powers, to unlock them again when you… practically sealed them… Is there anything else you can do?" he asked again as Seeker Hitomi held out her hand.

"Spectrum Point!" She called and a little object appeared in her open hand. It was small, almost engulfed in her hand. It had a similar appearance to the Mint Arrow, a little, clear glass love heart sat on top of two white handles, pointing out similar to the wings on the Mint Arrow, "Neat! I have my own weapon…" She mumbled before she looked back at Ryou, "Mew Ichigo and Mew Zakuro are fight together…"

"Thank god, she got her," Ryou breathed a sigh of relief.

"I'm going to get the others now, I'll follow their flare of energy…" She turned to leave before she smiled back at him, "Thank you Ryou-san," Then she ran off into the trees, leaving Ryou a crust of whirling scientific excitement.

* * *

"Why don't you come along Keeki?" Sasujiro asked as he cocked his Sight of Snake. He glanced back at her, emotionless as Keeki just peered into the large tank, watching the young Para Para swim around, carefree about their role later on in their life cycle. She glanced back at him, trying to look bored and emotionless like him.

"I'm not a warrior, My strong point is studying and my mission to understand these humans' history. I'll leave you and Kish to fight these warriors…" She said, reverting to the way Furaro and the other warriors talk about their jobs and skills. Sasujiro gave her a long glance before he turned around.

"Okay, we are bagging the final ones tonight," He announced. Keeki's grip on the tank's edge hardened. She held her tongue before she spoke up again, carefully crafting her words so she sounded merely curious and disinterested.

"So, after we have them all, what will we do? Simply kill them after we get all information out of them? It'll be helpful for my studies," She asked, trying to sound focused on her mission.

"We'll let you do that, they'll be resistant at first so we'll have to break them…" He explained.

"Break them? How? Torture?" She asked, biting down on her lip to allow pain to numb the confusing emotions within her.

"Yes, it'll differ depending on them. The green one, Mew Lettuce will break easily. If they all watch each other being tortured, they'll easily fall… Although, I don't like the idea but Kish will whine if I don't let him have his way with the pink cat girl. It fricking disgusts me the way he feels about her, he is just obsessing over a breakable toy but once he breaks it, he'll be finished with it…" Sasujiro huffed, "Anyway I better go," he said, clicking the button on his communicator, teleporting to the broadcasting studio. Keeki waited, paused on the spot before she moved away to the main cavern.

'So… They brought them here to 'break' them… Emotionally, Mentally and Physically. I guess keeping them locked up in that cave is part one, without their weapons as well…' Keeki glanced over at the table where the Pudding Ring, Mint Arrow and Lettuce Castanets sat. Sasujiro had tried to use them but they were just like replica toys in any of their hands, completely useless. 'Mew Ichigo… The pink one… What Kish would do to her…' Keeki shivered, 'He will rape her, rape her continuously until she breaks and then torture her friends in front of her and attack her when she is helpless. All of them would go through that… That is just…' Keeki rubbed her forehead. She glanced at the tunnel that led to the Mews but she shook her head, 'I know that they are protecting humans and we are fighting them but that… That is just cruel. If they were men like Sasujiro and Kish, they would just kill them outright wouldn't they? Is it because they are girls that they want to torture them? No, that's only Kish with Mew Ichigo. Kish would just kill the others without a single thought. It's Sasujiro that wants to torture them. It's him that sick…' She found herself in her room, staring sightlessly forward as she thought. Paru clicked quietly, circling her to get attention. Keeki blinked a few times before she patted the intelligent Para para.

"Why, why I am filled with all these feelings? They are the enemy…" She mumbled to Paru who just clicked back at her with a confused tone. Her mind was a swirl of emotions. She felt hot from red rage, boiling in every curling finger and heavy on each wavering breath but confusion danced on top of her stomach. Her brain spat out a logical thought, about keeping focused on her mission, leaving the other two along however her heart told her something different. It yelled, screamed about how wrong it was, about how the Mews were living beings like them… Not simple toys. She felt like she was watching a Shakespearean tragedy roll out in front of her. These warriors of this planet were being picked off one by one, despite the fact that they aren't like their enemy, they were going to treat and torture them as if they were demons.

'Is it because I'm not like them? I don't want to be anything like Sasujiro? Or is it because I'm not a warrior, I'm an intellectual? Perhaps it's because I've talked to them and they are so similar that I can't seem them as the propaganda demons anymore?' She stormed out of her room and straight to the bench where all of the weapons were laid out, 'I didn't see them as the propaganda demons in the first place anyway…' She realised. Without a single thought, she snatched them up and carried them through the tunnel that led to the 'pen'.

She finally reached it, jumping into the cave, punching in a code to open the door. She stood tall, her mind was buzzing, she knew this was stupid, she was betraying her kind and she could be killed for doing this but she didn't care anymore, she just listened to what her heart was spewing out.

'I'm not on anyone's side. I'm doing this for the sake of history! I'll find out about the actually history of the Kaerufans and humans of this planet. I'll do anything necessary to attain it and do what I think is right… No looking back…' She told herself as the door opened. She stepped into the room, blue, yellow and green eyes setting on her. Mew Pudding stood up, full of energy and leaned back in a threatening pose, ready to attack Keeki with her bare hands. Mew Mint threw her a despising glare, standing tall and taking Mew Pudding's side. Mew Lettuce jumped in between them, flailing her arms around.

"Stop! She tended to us!" Mew Lettuce wailed. Mew Mint bit her lip, still not trusting Keeki but Mew Pudding relaxed her stance, listening to Mew Lettuce.

"You better listen to her, she is the only one talking sense," Keeki said flatly as she dropped their weapons on the ground, "You have to get out of here now," She told them. They just glanced at Keeki and then at their weapons, purely confused.

"What kind of trick is this?" Mew Mint asked, looking at her curiously, "Why would our enemy go so far to capture us only to let us go?"

"Because, I'm not like Kish and especially not Sasujiro," Keeki hissed their names, "I'm a researcher, I don't get blood on my hands and I don't fight. I know that my race is fighting you but I'm not blindly following Furaro's words like everyone else…" She hissed, looking up at the ceiling ignoring their questioning glances. Mew Lettuce walked over to the pile of weapons, picking up her Lettuce Castanets, clacking them once. Mew Pudding and Mew Mint followed this action as Keeki turned to them.

"Kish and Sasujiro are fighting the remaining two of you, get their quickly, they are using the Para Paban, that monster from last night," Keeki explained. Mew Lettuce and Mew Mint looked on confused but Mew Pudding nodded, knowing what it was capable of.

"Other two?" Mew Lettuce echoed.

"Then... Onee-sama is working with us?" Mew Mint asked, her eyes lighting up.

"I hope so," Mew Lettuce said as Keeki pointed to a spot in the ceiling.

"Use your strongest attacks in that one area, you should be able to get out easily there," Keeki explained and all the Mew nodded, trusting her word now.

"Ribbon!" They all called in union as Keeki moved out of the way.

"Mint Gatling!"

"Lettuce Rush!"

"Pudding Coin!"

The three attacks crashed into the same spot making a small hole in the ceiling. It was just big enough for one person to squeeze through but the amount of pressure that slammed into the thin roof sent long cracks along the carved rock.

"The whole roof will collapse in na no da!" Mew Pudding wailed as Mew Lettuce aimed through the hole.

"You know the drill, Ribbon Lettuce Shaft!" She created a bridge of water, shooting up through hole. Mew Pudding and Mew Mint jumped into the Lettuce Shaft, racing out of their prison and landing on the surface. Mew Lettuce glanced back at Keeki, who smiled sadly at them.

"Thank you, for everything…" Mew Lettuce said, "I'll always remember your kindness," Then she jumped into the Lettuce Shaft, disappearing from sight. Keeki sharply breathed in as the cavern trembled, beginning to cave in. Keeki spun around, travelling through the tunnel back to the main base. She could feel the tremours through the ground as that cave disappeared. She walked back to her room and sighed.

'That's it, if Sasujiro finds out I did that… I'm dead… He will find out, he is too smart…' She glanced around the room when her eyes rested on a large shoulder bag that she had flushed out of a dump, the only place she could 'shop'.

"Well Paru, I set that place up so I could get away… but I honestly didn't think that I would have to use it in that sense…" She said aloud to her companion as she glanced around her room, "But if the Mews have disappeared, I have to as well…"

* * *

"Where are we?" Mew Lettuce asked as she regrouped with the other two. Mew Mint flapped her wing, water droplet falling from the water soaked feathers as she tried to fly. She got up a little, her gaze sweeping the area.

"We are near an abandoned warehouse in the Dororoji district… We have to get out of here…" Mew Mint reported. Mew Lettuce shivered, one thing you learnt when you were little, never step foot into Dororoji, where the drug dealers rule the streets with a harder fist then policemen and illegal activities are left to fester, the blind spot of the law.

"Where do we go na no da? The café na no da?" Mew Pudding asked, "We don't know what broadcasting studio Mew Ichigo and Mew Zakuro are na no da…."

"Yes, the Café… But… I don't even know where we are exactly nor how to get to the café from the Dororoji district…" Mew Lettuce said, moving closer to Mew Pudding protectively.

"What do we do now?" Mew Mint asked, glancing over her shoulder at the anticline behind her where she had been held for the past few days.

"Need some directions?" A voice asked. Mew Mint froze, it sounded so familiar but she couldn't be here.

'Not after that fight I had with her…' She thought bitterly. The three mews glanced around, trying to find this figure when a strange figure slipped from an alleyway. The Mews were confused at this figure, yet it calmed them. They knew straight away that this girl was one of them, not an enemy. Mew Mint staggered forward, looking at the figure with large blue eyes.

"That's you isn't it? I'm not wrong, I know that," Mew Mint smiled slightly as Seeker Hitomi grinned back.

* * *

**Zoey Hoshi:** Hooray! After four chapters, they all back together. Now for the conclusion of episode 11 of Tokyo Mew Mew and the Zakuro Arc!

**Hitomi:** It has taken you over five chapters to do one episode? You did one episode in one chapter once though!

**Zoey Hoshi:** I know… Just, I lot happened in that episode and in my story. You should be thankful, I gave you a transformation in this arc.

**Hitomi:** Yeah, but you haven't seen what I can do nor do you have an explanation for it.

**Zoey Hoshi:** Ryou will do that later on!

**Ryou:** Dump it all on me now?


	33. We Are Tokyo Mew Mew!

**Author's Note**: I have gone through chapters 1-32, editing three things.

1. Pudding/Mew Pudding now has Na No Da at the end of a large majority of her sentences. I finally bought the new translation of the manga and they did translate Na No Da. If this gets annoying, just say so.

2. Mew Zakuro's attack is now Ribbon Zakuro Pure. I know that her weapon is suppose to be Zacross Whip however, I am going by the fansubs names since the Japanese pun can be left out and if the majority of translations just put Ribbon (Name) (Attack), Mew Zakuro will follow the same trend to show she is a Mew Mew.

3. All chapters have been done into their current format for easier reading.

Sorry everyone for this long lack of update. I apologise. Unfortunately, school is extremely important right now, so I had about two weeks were I had to focus on study and assessments. Luckily, that is now over and holidays are just around the corner! Enough about that, on to the chapter!

**Note:** I am Australian, and we have alternative ways of spelling certain words from America. Eg. Mum/Mom, -ise/-ize, -or/-uor etc.

I know it is a major pain to do this, but please leave comments/reviews etc. because it **really** does cheer me up, knowing that this story is actually read and liked by people. **Thank you and sorry for all this!**

* * *

**Chapter 33: We Are Tokyo Mew Mew!**

Mew Ichigo held her shoulder as she staggered up, her knees trembling weakly with exhaustion, her pink eyes glaring defiantly at Kish the whole time. Sickly warm, forceful copper smelling blood ran over her flushed, strained cheek. She flicked her cat ears back, blood flicking away from the nick inside her ear, she could hear her blood welling at the wound. It burned, fire running along her nerves to her brain but there wasn't a thing Mew Ichigo could do. Her blood didn't have the jump of adrenaline in it anymore, the wash of energy draining away from her like the tide receding out, leaving her as a beached fish.

"At this rate, you will die you know that right? Kitten?" Kish called out in a tone that one would use for a pet. Yet for once, Mew Ichigo believed somewhat that Kish was telling the truth.

'Not much I can do about that can I?' She thought to herself as she tensed her muscles, arching her back as she planned another attack when a loud cry made her jump. Mew Ichigo spun around to see another alien, a tall, young adult male grasping Mew Zakuro by the throat, lifting her up into the air as his dark red eyes glinted murderously.

"So, Kish wasn't lying… There is another one of you…" He murmured before his face twisted into an egotistical, paralyzing smirk. Mew Ichigo's knees locked into place, staring into the red pits of his eyes, a bone-chilling shudder rushing up her spine. "Pity, you haven't been through as much as them so… You're the weak link right now," His smirk curled up in triumph yet it was almost a reaction to the spiteful ball that stirred in his stomach as he stared at the purple Mew Mew. He chuckled to himself darkly as his hand clamped around her throat, squeezing the life out of her slowly.

'That may be true…' Mew Zakuro thought but there was something slamming into her, energy rushing up her body as she felt a warning growl rumble in her throat. She gripped the Zakuro Whip tighter, her fingertips and knuckles turning white. She could feel her fingernails grow and form into claws as she let in the voice of her instincts. Listening to every word. Taking in every scent. Feeling every boiling, fuming emotion that stirred in her body.

'But I'm stronger in my own way…'

"Ribbon…" Her voice came out as a quiet hiss but it was filled with hatred. Sasujiro pressed down harder on her throat to prevent any air flowing in or out but Mew Zakuro pushed her lungs to keep going, "Zakuro…" She focused all of her energy through her hand into her glowing Zakuro Whip. It felt burning hot, as if the weapon was melting her skin away from the bone and melding the Zakuro Whip to her. The energy flowed through her blood, building up and up to the point that the Zakuro Whip was trembling with sheer power. Sasujiro's eyebrow arched and he gazed down at the light the weapon was producing.

'Too late…'

"Judgement!" She let all of her breath out with her last word and the Zakuro Whip exploded. The light rippled the tiled floor as if it was water, running out like seismic waves over the floor and through the air. The light ripped through him, slamming into his body and pushing him through the air. The purple shockwaves emitted off the Zakuro Whip, sending circular purple walls of light around Mew Zakuro. Sasujiro's feet skidded over the floor, letting the momentum run out itself.

'Interesting, she has a whip-like attack, which can be inaccurate and that would allow enemies to swarm her. To prevent this she has another attack that blows away opponents circling her. Interesting…' He thought to himself as Mew Zakuro rubbed her throat, breathing in deeply.

"You have my praise mutt," He smirked at Mew Zakuro who shot a glare back at him but somewhat matched his strange courteous yet chagrin atmosphere.

"You're not to bad yourself… For the first time we've actually seen you in face to face combat," Mew Zakuro flashed her sharp canine teeth, "After all, like me, you haven't had experience with Mew Mews like Kish has…" She used his own words against him, making him raise his eyebrows in exasperation before chuckling.

"I'm really going to enjoy this," Sasujiro breathed deeply and roughly before he clicked the teleportation button on his communicator, disappearing from Mew Zakuro's sight. She spun around, her purple eyes wide as she tried to find him.

'Damn! Where did he go?' She thought as she glanced over at Mew Ichigo surrounded by a Strawberry Bubble. Kish was charging up a blue lightning-like ball between his Dragon Swords.

"Come out," Kish smiled devilishly, Mew Ichigo just gripped the Strawberry Bell tighter.

"Ribbon Zakuro Pure!" Mew Zakuro lashed out at Kish, the line of purple energy sweeping towards him. Kish let go of the attack, the ball of blue energy blasted off above their heads into the ceiling. A metal rafter shrieked as it twisted and fell onto the battlefield below. Mew Zakuro dived into the Strawberry Bubble, flinching at the warm feeling passing her as she dived into it and Kish floated out of the way as parts of the ceiling crumbled away as if they were made from flaky pastry.

Sasujiro appeared in front of the Para Paban, holding the Carpet Python in his tight grasp around the neck. The Para Paban glanced at it and knew immediately what its master wanted.

"FUSION!" Sasujiro screamed as the Para Paban dissolved into white light and invaded the Python's body, controlling and mutating it. Mew Ichigo and Mew Zakuro watched with wide eyes as the snake grew in size, its body pulsating as muscles and bones grew. Its head popped up in size, becoming bell-shaped as its jaws hung open with large, overgrown teeth. Strange frills grew under the jaw, scaly wing-like flaps growing as its body smashed through the remaining studio equipment.

"We can't fight something as big as that in this studio," Mew Zakuro alerted the terrified Mew Ichigo. She flatted her ears and glanced back at Mew Zakuro.

"If we retreat like this, that new one, Sasujiro and Kish may pick us off one by one… How do we get out of here?" Mew Ichigo mewled pitifully as Mew Zakuro glanced around. Her eyes flew up to the already damaged roof, watching smaller materials become unstable and start crumbling away.

"The roof, it's going to collapse soon… Use a Strawberry Check on it and then I'll get us up there…"

"I can use another Strawberry Bubble to protect us as we get up there too to prevent getting damage," Mew Ichigo added as she broke her current Strawberry bubble.

"Chance!" Kish started another blue energy ball and the Chimera Anima slid towards them, hissing furiously. Mew Zakuro wrapped her arms around Mew Ichigo's small waist and tensed her muscles up, like coiling up a spring, storing up energy for a large jump. Mew Ichigo pointed her Strawberry Bell up to the ceiling and took a deep breath.

"Ribbon Strawberry Check!" She launched the beam of pink light to the destroyed section of ceiling. The attack easily ripped through the roof, tearing a large hole right through to the night sky above.

* * *

The population below that filled the streets like a rolling ocean stopped as a explosion of rubble rained from the six story broadcasting centre. A herd of frightened beings ran away from the building's perimeter while the remainder became frozen, watching the beam of light rip through the dark night sky. Rumours rippled around as every car halted, eyes staring up as the beam broke away to reveal two figures. They squinted, trying to make out the purple and pink coloured figures when the front door of building exploded with evacuating employees. They were all running in fear, spouting out information in hysterical voices to the bewildered crowd.

"Otachi, let's go," Otachi's mother hissed, flicking her head around to look at her son. Otachi had stopped dead, his tail wagging in curiousity as his mother pulled at his sleeve.

"Mum! Let's go check it out!" He said but without waiting for a reply, he pushed through the crowd. His mother growled in irritation, watching her son disappear from her sight before she took after him, pushing through the throng of people. Otachi ignored the harsh gazes that people threw at him, gawking at his black and white tail. He shrunk down, flatting his tail as he pushed through the jungle of people until he reached the front of the crowd.

"Aliens! I-I've never s-s-seen them-m-m bef-fore! El-l-l-f ears! E-e-evil! Run! RUN!" A female employee screamed, staring wildly like a deer that had just felt a bullet fly by her head.

"Otachi! Let's go!" His mother hissed in his ear, her hand snatching up his, "It's dangerous…" She whispered. Otachi looked up at her, feeling her tense muscles through her hand. She held onto him with a death-like grip and Otachi could just barely smell and sense her nervous trembling and salty perspiration.

'Aliens! It's them! It's gotta be! So then…' Otachi realised. They blocked out the grunts and gasps of shock as his mother rudely slipped by people until they reached the back of the herd that had gathered around on the opposite side of the road, despite the pleas of the employees of the broadcasting studio.

"Mum, it's them again isn't it? You can sense them right?" His mother stopped dead, Otachi slamming into her back before stumbling back, slightly dazed.

"…I can smell them, I can hear them…" She whispered, "You must be able to as well…"

"No… Mum, please, let's check this out!" He pleaded and earned a sigh from his mother. She shook her head, obviously debating about the idea.

"Okay…" She said, "But only for a little while after all they did try coming after you," She pointed out, her hand gripped his wrist tightly.

"Okay," he replied before running off from his mother again, earning another disgruntled groan from his mother.

Otachi gazed up, searching for the perfect glimpse of the rooftop until he felt his foot connect harshly into a concrete platform. He clenched his teeth as the burning sensation ate away at his foot. He waited, knowing that he was about to hit the ground. However a hand firmly grabbed his upper arm. He wobbled back onto his feet. He expected to see his stern mother, her eyebrows arched but his rusty brown, canine-like eyes flicked up to see a warm and curious brown.

"Thank you, I'm so sorry," Otachi's mother called out, catching up to Otachi who flattened his tail as his mother's icy gaze fell upon him.

"It's okay, be careful," Masaya warned, letting go of the dazed Otachi. He looked at the strange boy, he was shorter than Masaya and he had an untidy, childish air about him but Masaya knew that this part dog-boy was around his age. He looked at his slightly over-protective mother, taken back by her shaggy, knee-length mane of hair and strange, bright icy blue eyes.

"Ah, thanks," Otachi bowed to Masaya, "I could have cracked my head open huh?" Otachi nervously and awkwardly laughed while his mother growled slightly at his comment, her eyes twisted with worry. Masaya smiled, slightly nervously around the strange half dog-boy and dog-girl but his attention was drawn to the top of the building. The beam had disappeared, allowing a strange, snake-like monster to slink out of the hole, screeching at the figures that ran around on the roof, out of view from their audience. Screaming started up, ringing from the crowd as the monster let forth a burst of light, much like the pink light from before.

"Ah! It's them! I knew it!" Otachi said aloud while his mother's tail and ears flatten, each hair bristling. Masaya turned to him, looking at him questionably.

"What? You know about this?" Masaya asked, breaking a little out of his normal, calm manner. Otachi nodded, his eyes not moving from the monster.

"They came for me for some reason but someone saved me… I think she called herself a Mew Mew…" He trailed off.

* * *

Mew Zakuro jumped away, a bullet rippling by her ear. She could felt the streams of hot air seep into her fur on her ear. Her purple eyes flicked around, pupils contracted, searching for Sasujiro, knowing that he was targeting her.

'Damnit, we may have more room I don't know if we are safer up in the open and I've lost sight of him…' She cursed mentally before she wiped her Zakuro Whip around, a trail of Zakuro Pure circling her as she searched again for the long-haired alien, her ears pointed up, focusing on listening for his heavy breathing. Pain throbbed at her throat but adrenaline, a pinch of fear and roaring rage kept it at bay.

"Mew Zakuro!" Mew Ichigo called out, snapping her out of her enraged daze. Mew Zakuro turned around to see the snake-like monster leaning back and rearing up. It let out a scream, a mix between a snake hiss and a strange, low-pitched, raspy roar, making Mew Zakuro jump a little under her skin. Yet she didn't have enough time to react as the Chimera Anima struck its blunt, scaly nose at Mew Zakuro with lightning speed. The purple Mew Mew was propelled back, flying through the air like a dead leaf. Her collarbone and torso groaned with pain. Her muscles pulsated and her lungs shrunk in as the air escaped them painfully. Mew Ichigo watched, her large pink eyes filled with fear and horror as Mew Zakuro's body was thrown to the hard ground, skidding and rolling closer and closer to the edge of the roof. Mew Ichigo dropped everything, sending all of her energy to her legs as she ran over to Mew Zakuro.

"Where do you think you're going Kitten?" Kish called out, teleporting in front of Mew Ichigo. She halted, her boots skidding across the roof but she slammed into Kish's thin, open arms. He wrapped them around her frame, smothering her body into his. Kish snaked his face into the crook of her neck, inhaling deeply, enjoying her sweet scent. Mew Ichigo flailed in his tight grasp but she just felt more and more helpless, trapped in a snare. She felt every bit of her warmth sucked from her, seeping into Kish's pale skin. She could feel his strange, erratic heart beat, pumping blood down to his groin. She swallowed a ball of bile down as she felt something hard and cool like a smooth stone press up against her. She shivered, her breathing become raged as a frozen grip of despair clawed at her stomach, swarming towards her lungs and heart. Even though it felt freezing cold to the touch, it felt like an oozy-like textured water was perspiring inside her body, filling her with its nauseating feeling. Mew Zakuro felt her head flick back over the edge of the building. Her right side followed alarming fast. Then she felt the uncomfortable rush of cold, sharp air running over her body. The audience bellow pointed, horrified bawling sounded, to Mew Zakuro, it felt as if she was falling straight to hell.

"One gone…" Sasujiro commented from his sniping spot behind the large satellite dish, leaning against a small radio tower. The Chimera Anima stopping its attack and just curled up, waiting for its next command. Mew Ichigo opened her mouth to scream but Kish's hand cupped over it, choking it in her throat. He could feel her body tremble, her shoulders shaking as sadness rose up, tears budding in her eyes.

"Come back with me, you'll never regret it…" Kish whispered to her, his tongue darting out over her damp skin, enjoying the salty taste of her sweat, blood and fear. Her eyes shot open, shining with fear as Kish let out a breath, "Come with me… It's the only way…"

'This is it…'

"Mew Zakuro! Onee-sama!" A girl called out, breaking out over the horrified bawling. Mew Zakuro then felt two arms wrap around her, catching her a little messily but she stopped dead. Mew Zakuro opened her eyes, wondering if death came for her so easily and painlessly when she realised air was still flowing by, she was still moving.

She was moving up.

She could hear the beating of wings, feathers fluttering by each other in the wind. Mew Zakuro's purple eyes flicked around to see deep, adoring yet concerned blue eyes. She smiled gently as they soared into the brilliant night sky like a beautiful angel.

"This is for earlier na no da!" Another voice called out. Sasujiro stopped, pausing as his boiling red eyes searched around the flat rooftop.

'That can't be…' He thought as a flash of yellow whipped by him, his heart skipping a beat. Then a foot slammed onto the bottom of his hand which was hovering over the trigger of his Sight of Snake. Sasujiro bit down on his lip as the foot kicked away his weapon, leaving him fuming with rage. Mew Ichigo looked at the yellow Mew that flipped backwards, away from Sasujiro and landed perfectly, her arms out to balance herself like gymnast.

"Mew Pudding!" Mew Ichigo called out through Kish's hand as he snapped around, staring at the Mew Mew with wide eyes, pupils contracted and focused on her.

"Impossible!" Kish hissed, his voice heavy with incomprehensible anger. Then from behind them a large pillar of water burst out from the hole in the roof. At first Mew Ichigo wondered if she broke a main water pipe until she saw two dark shapes travel along it before the water dissipated, raining over the rooftop. Mew Ichigo looked on as Mew Lettuce and a white, ballet-like themed girl land on the roof. Mew Lettuce clacked her Lettuce Castanets, almost glaring at Kish in a strange, polite kind of anger.

"Ribbon Lettuce Shaft!" She called, creating a small Lettuce Shaft that slammed into Kish's side, ripping him violently from Mew Ichigo. Mew Ichigo stumbled back from the force of the Lettuce Shaft but the white ballet-themed girl grasped her and held her in place.

"Could've gone a little easier on his poor building," She smiled, "It didn't do anything to you Mew Ichigo," She laughed slightly as Mew Ichigo focused on her. She felt a pang in her chest as she stared at the girl, looking into her green and red eyes.

"No way… Hitomi?" Mew Ichigo whispered quietly in disbelief but she flicked her nose softly in reply.

"That's Seeker Hitomi to you," She grinned. Mew Mint flew up from the side of the building and settled Mew Zakuro down gently. The purple Mew Mew tried to hold up her weight but the draining adrenaline, fear, anxiety and shock left her limbs quivering, her body feeling hollowed out.

"Mew Ichigo! I'm so sorry! We should have gotten here earlier!" Mew Lettuce fretted as she saw Mew Ichigo and Mew Zakuro's battered battle outfits, bruises, scraps and cuts that covered their bodies. It wasn't anything major but seeing Mew Ichigo, blood trickling down her cheek from her ear, her corset ripped and tattered from Kish while Mew Zakuro's chest and side blossomed in bruises and damaged skin was ripped away from being scraped across concrete. It made the others feel horrible.

Not that it mattered to Mew Ichigo and Mew Zakuro.

"Everyone… You're… You're…" Mew Ichigo's lip trembled as her heart swelled with emotion. She had felt friendship before with Moe and Miwa, she had felt love and admiration for Masaya but this warm, boiling hot, wonderful feeling that made tears fall from her eyes was indescribable.

She had never felt such comradeship, companionship. These girls were her fellow soldiers, her best friends forever. Her Nakama. She ran up to them, glomping the five of them as if she was a crazed fan-girl at an anime convention, wrapping her arms around the five girls and pulling them into a group hug.

"We are all together!" Mew Ichigo cried happily, pulling away from them as the other four looked back at Mew Zakuro. Mew Pudding, Mew Lettuce and Mew Mint looked on with hopeful eyes yet Seeker Hitomi gave her another stern look, evaluating whether she was still a threat to Mew Mint and the others.

"Are you really going to join us na no da?" Mew Pudding asked, her orange tail wagging in excitement. Mew Mint took a few steps forward, a little hesitant, Seeker Hitomi stiffened up but Mew Ichigo's hand held hers, halting her.

"She's okay…" Mew Ichigo reassured her, trying to give the best smile she could in her condition as Mew Mint smiled faintly.

"Are you really going to join Onee-sama?" The blue Mew Mew asked. Mew Zakuro's gaze washed over them all, feeling a strange sensation in her stomach.

'I can't believe this… It was easy to say this in front of her but…' Mew Zakuro nodded, smiling at Mew Mint who lighted up like a child on Christmas morning, Mew Lettuce and Mew Pudding following her like siblings.

"We are finally together!" They cheered, swarming her happily as Mew Mint and Mew Pudding clung to her arms, happy blushes spiking her cheeks.

"Is she really okay with this?" Seeker Hitomi asked.

"I think she felt bad about what she did… After all, she just snapped like what Mew Mint did that one time… I think the weight of the situation fell onto her…" Mew Ichigo smiled but Seeker Hitomi chuckled heavily.

"Weight of the situation? You mean the whole 'end of the world' or 'it's the only way you'll change back'?" Seeker Hitomi asked, throwing her words back. Mew Ichigo stopped for a second before the Seeker smacked her head, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry… You've been through hell and here I am giving you more trouble…"

"It's okay…" Mew Ichigo smiled, rubbing her sore shoulder.

"Impossible! HOW?" Sasujiro growled in frustration as he whipped out his communicator, his actions her quick and rough, breaking the calm, researcher-like demeanor. Kish hovered in the air, glaring down at the little band of girls that were circling each other, jumping around in joy, "Keeki! KEEKI! WHERE ARE YOU! PICK UP YOUR GODDAMN COMMUNICATOR NOW! REPORT NOW!"

"Hey asshole," A voice stirred over the communicator. Kish and Sasujro flinched as the male voice echoed in their minds. They had never heard it before, "I don't know what your story is but thank you for teaching me what this object is. It will come into good use for us. Word of advice, don't blurt out important information over a detectable form of communication. Enemies like me can pick it up. For a report, I would say that taking a leisurely ride on shit creak was a bad idea considering you lost your paddle and now even your canoe so you are now in the shit…" Ryou jeered before Sasujiro slammed his communicator onto the floor, shattering it like a egg. Kish gazed on at Sasujiro, a little unnerved at how he snapped, his eyes boiling with rage. Pits of nothing but pure hatred.

"HOW? ANSWER ME!" He screamed at the Mews that lowered down into a defensive stance.

"Got your answer here A-hole!" Seeker Hitomi yelled out, walking out to the front while flipping him off the whole way, "Spectrum Point!" She summoned her weapon, pointing the little glass heart at Sasujiro.

'This is it! I'm finally not a liability to the Mews anymore! I can help them fight!' Seeker Hitomi told herself as pride filled her.

"Ribbon Spectrum Spot!" She screamed as the glass heart glistened with the colours of the rainbow as light passed through it before a little circle of changing light shot out.

Before settling harmlessly on Sasujiro's right hand, hovering over the skin.

Sasujiro looked down at the little flick of light before glaring down harshly at Seeker Hitomi who bit her lip, her face falling as fear and anxiety rose up in her gut. She sheepishly shrunk back into the protective throng of the Mew Mews as they watched in horror.

"Actually, after thinking it over, I'll leave it to you…" She murmured as Mew Mint cradled her forehead.

"You just made him more furious!" Mew Mint hissed as the Chimera Anima rose up behind them.

"Furious? That is one word for it… I was thinking more fucking pissed off, get them Chimera Anima!" He yelled as the Chimera Snake hissed, plunging for them. Mew Pudding jumped out of the way easily, whirling her Pudding Ring on her wrist.

"Ribbon Pudding Ring Inferno!" She formed a large, jelly-like prison over the Chimera Anima. She landed perfect but watched as it broke out of it quickly, screeching in rage, "This will be interesting na no da," Mew Pudding murmured, preparing another attack while Seeker Hitomi crouched on the ground in the corner of the building, looking at her weapon in a confused, depressed manner. She was plagued by questions about her weapon and she didn't notice that Kish teleported behind her, looking down on her. He hissed at her, drawing out his Dragon Swords. She turned around, light reflecting coldly of his blades.

"Ribbon Lettuce Rush!" Mew Lettuce threw a flurry of razor waves at Kish. He jumped up, turning to look at the green Mew Mew. He looked at her shoulder that was patched up nicely with material bandaids. He huffed before he lazed back, holding the Dragon Sword limply in hand, over Seeker Hitomi's body.

"Hello, mind telling me how you got out and what happened to Keeki?" Kish asked her, his voice not properly containing that childish tone. Obviously them escaping out of their prison did not please Kish the slightest.

"Sorry but that is none of your business!" Mew Lettuce yelled out, she thought back to that Kaerufan girl that helped them. Something told Mew Lettuce to not tell Kish the truth as she aimed her Lettuce Castanets at him.

'This is hopeless… We can't retreat like this, we have to destroy that Chimera Anima but with Kish and Sasujiro here, they could intervene nor protect it whenever they want. What can we do?' Mew Ichigo thought to herself as she watched Mew Pudding land from a large jump, pausing to catch her breath but the Chimera Anima just reared up. Mew Ichigo pointed her Strawberry Bell at the Chimera Anima but she couldn't feel that boiling of energy behind her, flowing through her veins. She stood still, her eyes widening as she felt more and more helpless, her energy draining from her. Her knees, her skin trembled with fatigue until she finally dropped, letting go of her Strawberry Bell.

"Mew Ichigo!" Seeker Hitomi called out, jumping up to run over to her. However Kish was watching and dived straight down, his blade aimed for her head. Mew Lettuce dropped one of her Lettuce Castanets, grabbing the Seeker's hand and pulling her out of harms away. With all of her strength, she pulled Seeker Hitomi right into her. The green Mew Mew was hit full force by the Seeker's body and they were both flung to the floor like dolls. Mew Lettuce groaned as her back hit the solid concrete and unfortunately her wound began to open up, pulsating with sickly hot pain. Kish's glowing yellow eyes flicked up at the girls with mild annoyance before he stood up, pulling his Sais out of the rooftop. His eyes then locked onto an interesting object.

The other Lettuce Castanet.

He walked up and placed his foot over it, glaring down at it as if it was a disgusting spider, beginning to put pressure down on it. Sasujiro teleported behind Mew Mint, one hand darted out to hold her wings. Mew Mint shrieked in pain before his other hand swung around, smacking her in the head.

"Don't you dare!" Mew Zakuro hissed, whipping around a Zakuro Pure. She jumped up, springing into the air and she looped her attack around Sasujiro's long hair. He gazed back, letting go of Mew Mint who fell to the ground. Mew Zakuro then used gravity and her weight to drive Sasujiro to the ground. He let a deep scream out, fire pricking the surface of his scalp as each strand of hair was pulled, yanked. Then, he smacked into the ground. Quickly and painfully. Mew Zakuro stood over him, proud when the Chimera Anima struck the ground. Mew Pudding and Mew Zakuro dodged the main blow but were still hit roughly on their sides by the enormous, snaking body of the Chimera Anima. Mew Ichigo looked up at the scene around her, breathing deeply as she struggled to stand up.

"If only… I had enough power…" She whispered.

"I'm so useless! Here I am and I'm screwing up everythi-" Seeker Hitomi's frustrated cry disappeared as her weapon began to glow pink, blue, green, yellow and purple. Seeker Hitomi stared at it in wonder and then the Strawberry Bell's glass heart lit up in bright pink light. Green light burst from the Lettuce Castanet's glass heart, temporary blinding Kish. Mew Lettuce jumped up, seizing the chance to get it back. She stared at it deeply as the same oddity occurred with everyone's weapon. Each weapon made a ball of light and they all floated over to the Spectrum Point where they melded into one, shining mass. Seeker Hitomi gazed at the star-like mass. She could see the massive amount of power it held, burning with heat and amazing potential. She knew what it was. She knew who needed it.

"Ribbon Spectrum Strawberry Upgrade!" She yelled, sending the light towards Mew Ichigo with the Spectrum Point

"To me?" Mew Ichigo echoed out as the ball reached her Strawberry Bell and was absorbed into the glass heart. Then it exploded into a mass of fusion energy, crafting a new weapon in front of her as power filled her body, absorbed via a strange, energy type of osmosis.

'Mew Zakuro's, Mew Pudding's, Mew Lettuce's, Mew Mint's and even Seeker Hitomi's energy… I can feel it throughout my entire body. It's so strong. Pulsating and overwhelming. It feels amazing!' She closed her eyes as it washed through her, the others watched on amazed as Mew Ichigo was surrounded by two large, light pink hula hoops. Her Strawberry gained two vast, huge, pink wings that were looped by light pink string.

"Strawberry Bell Version Up!" Mew Ichigo cheered, adrenaline pumping through her body. Mew Ichigo glared at the Chimera Anima, which let out a defying roar before slinking towards Mew Ichigo. The Mew Mew smiled, her ears pricked up alert and her tail lashing around.

"Ribbon Strawberry Check Surprise!" Mew Ichigo screamed, sending a large, homing beam of light towards the Chimera Anima. The reinforced beam pierced the centre of its head, the energy and hot light pouring through and it, in seconds the giant, fearsome monster had disappeared. Kish stood still, recovering from the bright flash but he was trembling.

He knew it wasn't fear. That would be utter stupidity if it was.

No, it was pure excitement.

"You want some Kish?" Mew Ichigo flicked to Kish who just threw his head back in a laugh.

"No matter what you do Mew Ichigo, everyday, I get more and more impressed with you my kitten," Kish smiled at Mew Ichigo who just hissed at him.

"No matter what, I'll never like you, you jerk!" She spat back as Sasujiro's body teleported away. Mew Zakuro snapped her head again, cursing at herself for being distracted.

"Kish, retreat, get my weapon and retreat!" Sasujiro raspingly commanded Kish. Mew Pudding jumped up, running to the Sight of Snake sniper rifle but Kish's body rippled into place above it. He kicked it up with one swift movement and then he flicked a goodbye gesture to Mew Ichigo, winking before he teleported away. Mew Ichigo and the other kept their stance for a few seconds, battle hardened but there was nothing.

"WE DID IT!" Mew Ichigo dropped the Strawberry Bell Version Up, running towards everyone.

"It really wasn't a victory," Mew Zakuro pointed out.

"Yes it is!" Mew Lettuce said, walking towards them all, "We finally got back at that Sasujiro for trapping us.

"And we are all together finally na no da!" Mew Pudding cheered.

"That is something to celebrate!" Mew Ichigo pointed out. Mew Zakuro smiled slightly, nodding.

"You're right…" She stopped for a second, taking a breath, "Look… About that night… I'm really-" She trailed off as her focus hardened. Seeker Hitomi froze, wondering if she was going to snap again but then Mew Pudding and Mew Ichigo followed Mew Zakuro's reaction.

"We are being watched…" Mew Ichigo whispered.

"I can sense it too… There is som-" Mew Lettuce's words were drowned out as a news helicopter flew in, buzzing around them as cameras focused on them. Mew Ichigo glanced around, finding, to her horror that the rooftops nearby were filled with film crews, filming the entire battle.

"We have been found out!" Mew Lettuce and Seeker Hitomi wailed, the green Mew Mew shivered as her lips bubbled out silent wails as Seeker Hitomi looked nervous. Then the door to the rooftop was slammed aside, reporters of many news stations running towards them, racing to be the first one to get the scoop but they still kept their distance, not knowing about what they are dealing with.

"Who are you?"

"What is your purpose?"

The girls couldn't tell who was asking what, questions were just being thrown at them. Mew Lettuce and Seeker Hitomi shrunk back from the cameras, Mew Zakuro and Mew Mint just stood their ground, looking on the cameras with indifference. Mew Pudding looked happy, staring at all the cameras while Mew Ichigo was overwhelmed.

"We are from Tokyo-" Mew Pudding's mouth was covered by Mew Mint, who pulled her back from the closest camera, "What's wrong Mint Ane-chan na no da?" Mew Pudding pouted, looking up at the slightly vexed Mew Mint.

"First rule of being a superhero, do not reveal anything!" Mew Mint hissed at her. Mew Ichigo heard that comment and something sprung into her mind.

"Tokyo?" A reporter echoed, looking at Mew Ichigo with a raised eyebrow. Mew Ichigo flinched back a little as microphones were shoved into her face as if she was a toddler refusing her dinner. Mew Ichigo just took a deep breath, knowing that if the secret was out, they may as well run with it.

"I am Mew Ichigo!" She said proudly, superhero-like manner. The others looked on, a little confused a first until they shrugged, knowing the thought in Mew Ichigo's head.

"Mew Mint,"

"Mew Lettuce,"

"Mew Pudding na no da!"

"Mew Zakuro,"

"Seeker Hitomi,"

"And we are fighting for justice. We are Tokyo Mew Mew! For the sake of Earth's future, we will serve you!" They all cried out, posing dramatically for the cameras, the media eating it up.

* * *

"Mew Lettuce! She is okay! Thank goodness!" Otachi cried out. His mother relaxed, watching the television screens that populated the streets with interest. Every channel in the nation was blaring with the report, images of strange superheroes. Soon it would be all over the world. Otachi's mother had let go of her son. What ever had made her nervous and anxious for Otachi's safety was gone. However that was the last thing on Masaya's mind. His hazel eyes widened in shock, staring at the screen. His heart thundered in his chest, shaking his whole body as he stared into the pink gaze of Mew Ichigo, her perky cat ears and tail which constantly rang its bell.

'Ichigo…'

* * *

**Zoey Hoshi:** Though I would start of the final run of TMP will a boom! At least I hope it is a boom. I have so many emails and comments to get through but I thought I would post this up first and seeing as it is almost 1am right now and I have to be at school at 8am, I better go to sleep.


	34. Unexpected Sense

**Author's Note:** Argh! I'm so mad at myself, this chapter is so LATE! I wanted to have the last chapter up yesterday (Right now it is the New Year's Day in the Land Down Under) but now look, I only got one chapter out. I am not 100% happy with this chapter, I edited it over and over but I was never happy. I think I've hit a bit of Writer's Block. However, I'll try to get as many chapters out before I go back to school at the start of Feb. This is late but Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. As John Lennon sung, Let's hope it's a good one, without any fear.

**Note:** I am Australian, and we have alternative ways of spelling certain words from America. Eg. Mum/Mom, -ise/-ize etc.

I know it is a major pain to do this, but please leave comments/reviews etc. because it **really** does cheer me up, knowing that this story is actually read and liked by people. **Thank you and sorry for all this!**

* * *

**Chapter 34: Unexpected Sense**

Keiichiro leaned back in his chair and for once, his muscles weren't clenched around his rib cage, anxiety choking him. For once, he was calm, just merely an observer, watching the footage Masha fed him. Of course, he always felt comfortable in the safety of the lab, knowing that no monstrous creature would appear here but a twinge of guilt hit him as he watched the battle through a laptop. Meanwhile, the girls, teenage girls were actually there, fighting the Chimera Anima. The Mews Mews swarmed around the Chimera Anima, yelling out to each other. They dodged, fought and planned as a pack. Seeing the five Mew Mews together, it lifted the dreaded weight from his shoulders.

However, when that apprehension left, it was quickly replaced by a monkey. A brooding, frustrated monkey.

"You still moping?" Ryou called out, not bothering to glance away from the old, ancient book. Now that the Mews had gotten together, he had finally been getting around to his father's old artifacts, looking for any clues on the development of infusion and Masha. If there was any information on either, they could develop the Mew Project more, infuse boys and anyone that actually wanted to, even go above the age limit. Ryou delicately tried to peel page away from page, each action full of cautiousness, his muscles tense as if he held a newborn in his hands. Keiichiro sighed, watching a Pudding Ring Inferno settle over the Chimera Anima. It would be over in mere seconds now.

"No," A dejected voice called out from the other side of the lab. Keiichiro's brown eyes flicked over to Hitomi who was currently curled up on a chair, her eyes staring harshly at the Spectrum Point. No matter what she said, the way she slumped her shoulders, her face buried into her knees as a foggy glaze washed over her peculiar eyes, it was easy to tell that she was still sulking.

"Hitomi-san, do you want a drink perhaps?" Keiichiro offered but Hitomi just shook her head, not even bothering to look Keiichiro in the eye. Keiichiro sighed, they had only just arrived back at the Café when they got another Chimera Anima, a lone one appeared. That's when this mood settled over her.

"_I'm coming with you!" Hitomi called out, jumping up off the kitchen bench. The Mews stopped, all exchanging a strange glance. Hitomi stared on, confused at what they were thinking about._

"_Sorry but Hitomi stay here, we'll deal with it easily now," Ichigo replied, pulling out her Mew Pendent, "After all, we are all together and it's just a stray Chimera Anima,"_

"_That could kill someone," Hitomi pointed out, "Not to mention the media and the aliens won't waste time to find you. You're going to be the hot topic for weeks, maybe even years to come! You need my help!" Hitomi puffed out her chest, holding her hand proudly over her heart._

"_Yet last time we let you do something you only made the situation worse," Mint pointed out bluntly, not even looking at Hitomi with her cobalt eyes, "Stay here,"._

'Only made it worse…' Hitomi thought about Mint's words, repeating endlessly in her mind. It continued to resonate, the memory of her failed attack on Sasujiro until she jumped out of her chair, stomping her feet on the ground.

"Honestly! Why can I transform?" She cried out to no one in particular.

"Only god knows why…" Ryou murmured, "He must have been drunk as hell too," he added quietly. Keiichiro's face dropped, giving Ryou a disapproving look but Hitomi ignored his last comment, spinning around to face the two men.

"No, I mean if I don't get any powers, what is the point of me transforming?" Hitomi hissed.

"You get your 'sight' back when you transform though don't you?" Ryou asked.

"No. When I transform my power is intensified. It's extremely weak right now but at least I can sense that you're still damn strange due to the cat DNA," Hitomi hissed. Keiichiro looked back at the screen for one second, the Chimera Anima was shrinking back to its original form. He prayed for the girls to return quickly because each second Hitomi sat in the lab not adding to the mission, the more enraged she became. Her target tonight happened to be Ryou. Ryou tried his best to carry on with scraping off the last flecks of harden sediment of the book, largely ignoring Hitomi's words.

"Look," He murmured before he let out a ragged sigh, "Hitomi at least you have that 'sight' thing of yours, you have a transformation to protect your identity and you have a weapon that can store the information to allow the Mews' weapons to upgrade. I don't see what you are complaining about…" Ryou pointed out. Hitomi looked down at her ''weapon' before glancing back to the blonde teenager.

"The problem is that I'm still a normal person. I can't help the Mews like I want to!" Hitomi explained, "We are supposed to save the world for crying out loud, I can't sit around in this lab the whole time!" Hitomi whimpered loudly.

"Thank god you can't 'cause you're bugging the hell out of me! Go off and bug someone else… Oh wait, that's why you're here in the first place since you're a liability in battle. God, I only got power to turn into a cat for ten minutes for frick sake," Ryou teased.

"I can help you transform into a girl permanently," Hitomi vexed, "Keiichiro-san, get me a knife!"

'Girls, please get back here. Ryou and Hitomi are going to fight until you get back…' Keiichiro thought, Masha swallowing up the Para Para.

* * *

"Good job today girls, see you tomorrow afternoon," Keiichiro smiled, turning off the outside light.

"Goodnight Akasaka-san," Ichigo called out. Mint could hear her mumbling about what to say to her parents and wanting a break. Pudding cheerfully ran by until she quickly sprung into the nearest tree. Mint watched how she expertly tapped her feet on each branch until the green leaves engulfed her. Pudding jumped from tree to tree inside the safety of its canopy straight home.

"Okay, let's go," Mew Zakuro called out to Lettuce. She played around with her hair as she shyly approached the newest member of Tokyo Mew Mew. Mew Zakuro patiently waited, her gray-brown ears pricked up, listening out.

"Are you sure this will work Onee-sama?" Mint asked her. Her heart trembled faintly, feathers brushing over her skin when Mew Zakuro's purple eyes fell on her.

'I'm really talking to her!' Mint thought subconsciously.

"Yes, it's the only way to cover our identity. If the three of you reappear without an explanation, the same day as the Mew Mews, someone will make the connection,"

"What about Pudding?" Mint asked, pushing herself to stand closer to the purple Mew Mew.

"Pudding said that no one would notice her two day disappearance since she had lied that she was looking after a friend. Lettuce however had no reason so she was reported missing. If she waltz home, it will look strange but if a Mew Mew escorts her, we can pull of a lie that Mew Mews saved her," Mew Zakuro explained.

"Yes, that makes sense. I'll just tell the head housekeeper the truth. We have ways of bending the police," Mint added. Mew Zakuro knelt forward, nodding at Mint as Lettuce nervously moved forward.

"Get on, I'll get us to your place quickly," Mew Zakuro commanded. Mint watched, a little envious of Lettuce. She would be getting a piggyback ride from Mew Zakuro, Zakuro Fujiwara!

"But our plan, would that maybe provoke the police?" Lettuce asked as she placed her hands on Mew Zakuro's shoulders.

"We are telling the truth though, the aliens did kidnap us. Now that they have been discovered along with us, it's an easy way of getting out of this without our identities being discovered," Mint said. Lettuce looked down, hesitant about the idea of the Aquisferan police force going after the Kaerufans.

'That one… What is she doing right now?' Lettuce thought as Mew Zakuro stood up, her arms locking Lettuce's legs into place.

"Okay, let's go," Mew Zakuro announced. She concentrated for a second before she sprung off with amazing speed. Mint watched in amazement when she felt that strange, heated gaze of Hitomi on her back, burning small holes into her shoulders. Mint turned around to face Hitomi who was looking at her with a blank gaze, turning off emotions as she pondered something.

"Hitomi…" Mint called out, getting her attention, "Want to stay at my place?" Mint asked, "I mean… Your house is the furthest and well, I have to tell the head staff about what happened… Could you give more information?" Mint asked awkwardly.

"Sure," Hitomi replied, putting her hands in her white jacket's pockets.

Mint walked in the uncomfortable silence, her brown boots clacking loudly on the sidewalk. The passing traffic travelled constantly, ruffling Hitomi's blonde hair as her eyes looked forward, distracted by a bugging thought. Mint was relieved, that little unknown thought in Hitomi's mind giving her time to form words into logical sentences. Mint knew what she had to say to Hitomi after all she did for them, for her after that fight.

'Even though she started it… Then, why did it start again?' Mint thought.

Her memories of that night and the past few days were a blur, nothing but raging adrenaline and confusion. Mint couldn't remember why Hitomi snapped at her and why Mint just blurted out those words. It wasn't like her. Even though Mint hated her father with a passion, the things he passed down to her, that the Japanese high class taught her was etched into her, it was her. The most important thing was, ever, under any circumstances, show and tell your true emotions. It could cost you dearly.

'Do I know that well now… I could have died in those few days. I was going to die. However, hiding my true intentions and feelings, those are some of the traits I don't want. I wonder if Hitomi has this problem, being stuck between two classes?' Mint glanced at Hitomi, she didn't dress up in fancy, overpriced clothes with meaningless accessories. She had a plain, cotton white jacket, a black denim skirt and blue converse shoes. Mint on the other hand was in a pale green, knee-length dress that was decorated with lace and ribbons, brown, leather boots and a long brown trench coat that was imported from overseas and a leather handbag that cost more than a first class dinner buffet. Mint could only frown at the differences between her and the other Mews, excluding Zakuro.

"Hitomi, I'm sorry about snapping at you that night," Mint blurted out however she quickly recovered, sticking her nose up in the air proudly, "I honestly cannot remember much from that night but the nagging thought of what I said to you isn't so easily ignored as I thought. I was wrong,"

"What?" Hitomi stopped as silence settled over them quickly, "You've got it wrong, I should be apologising," Hitomi threw back, "After all, I started it over…" Hitomi paused before she spun around, "Something really stupid…" She murmured and started to walk forward. Mint arched her eyebrow and skipped up to Hitomi's side. She watched her intently, her lips were paused in, at first Mint thought was an unimpressed fashion but the way a prick of pink sat on her cheeks and her eyebrows sat flatly showed that she was embarrassed.

'Embarrassed about what?' Mint thought, 'The fight? What could be the rea-', that's when Mint understood.

"You were jealous?" Mint asked and Hitomi froze over, halting and staring blankly forward, "Honestly? You were jealous of Onee-sama?" Mint asked again, slightly smirking.

"Y-y-yes," Hitomi stuttered, tapping her fingers together sheepishly, glancing down, "It's just because… I've told you before, my mother is forcing me to become a ballerina, to carry on the family trend but it's just not what I want to spend my life doing,"

"Then what do you want to do?" Mint asked.

"I would rather be a zoologist, studying Aves to be honest…" She scratched her head, peeping over at Mint who looked dumbfounded at the term she used, "Birds, studying birds," Hitomi clarified, "I mean ballet is still fun and beautiful and you are an amazing ballerina. I couldn't believe someone could have so much passion and skill for something as beautiful like ballet. If I was like you it would make my mother happy for once… To have people watch me in awe, to do something amazing and inspire emotions in others. I wish I could be you," She admitted, "However whenever I looked at you, even thought you had everything, you were shrouded in misery, you were never truly happy," Mint flinched at that a little, thinking back to those days before this happened, before she even knew Hitomi existed.

"Is that…"

"Yeah, I wanted to help you. I wanted understand you and your world so I could be more like the upper class but at the same time I hoped that I could make you see something else apart from your sheltered rich life. I watched you, trying to approaching you until I finally had the guts and after that, you came to me…" She stretched her arms out over her head, "I'm sorry. When another rich girl came into the picture, I felt like you were going to revert back to your old self, ignoring me. I felt like… like Fujiwara was going to steal you…" Hitomi froze as silence fell around them.

"That is… the silliest thing I've heard," Mint smacked Hitomi's shoulder, making Hitomi yelp in surprise, "Really, that's the kind of stuff Ichigo would say," Mint said in an almost scolding manner.

"I know, I know… My emotions got to me... I'm sorry,"

"No! No! I'm supposed to be apologising?" Mint smacked her again, a little harder this time, "After what I said? I admitted that I only approached you because it was rebelling against my family and because I couldn't understand you and it annoyed me… So why aren't you angry at me? Why are you still talking to me?" Mint snapped, her pupils contracting as confusion enraged her and her actions became more jumpy.

"First, calm down. It'll be a disaster if your wings or tail pop out at a time like this," Hitomi whispered before she smiled, "If everything you said is true then Mint Ane-chan… Why do you care what I think about you and our friendship?" Hitomi asked.

"Wh-what's…. So? Isn't that a good thing?" Mint crossed her arms, glancing off snobbishly as she regained her composure. Hitomi just laughed to herself, let Mint calm down. The two continued walking down the path. Only to see him. Slumped against the wall while his dark, coal eye stared forward sightlessly.

The homeless man.

Mint's mouth started to dry up a little as a cool shiver slid down her spine but she tried to shrug off the feeling. Hitomi cursed quietly as she found nothing in her pockets, wrinkling her nose in anger. Mint glanced at the poor man, her heart swelling with a strange, foreign feeling. It was cold like misery but it prickled her throat differently, her heart and boil trembling as she stared at him. His black eye was cold, full of nothing but misery while his face was disfigured by an unnatural cause.

'Perhaps an accident? He may have lost everything and now he is reduced to living on the street. How would I feel if I was in that situation?,' Mint shivered as fear crept up her body, crawling as she pictured a cruel life, cool, no food and everyone would avoid her. She observed his face, still a ball of repulsion as she look at the bubbled, scarred skin covering his left eye. 'He would need surgery to fix that up, then he would be a normal man but no one helps him… However that does include me…' Mint thought to herself, his bit her lip, disappointed at herself.

Mint stopped in front of the man as her skin crawled with cautiousness, her hand diving into her handbag. The homeless man glanced up at the girl in front of him, her blue hair out and curling around her chin, her skin pale almost shone in the moonlight and it was perfect, not a single blemish on her skin. The lace and ribbon decorated clothing and her strong stance completed the beautiful rich girl image. Mint knelt down to the man, looking into his eyes, she took a uneven breath, swallowing the ball of trembling nerves down her throat. However it still resonated like a guitar string running down her spine. She knew that he could attack her right now and do unspeakable things but there was something about his posture, the glint in his good eye, that told Mint that he was a harmless fly compared to her.

"Listen Sir, I am from the Aizawa family and we know a very good doctor that could fix up your disfigurement. Here is his card, just tell him that Mint Aizawa is paying for it," Mint explained slowly, she pulled out a white business card and motioned it towards the man. He looked blankly at her, as if he didn't understand and then at the card like a confused animal, "Please, take it, you obviously got caught up in something horrible. You don't deserve to be here. Please, take it sir,".

"Aizawa-sama, I cannot repay you though," He said with a cracked, pathetic voice.

"You don't have to repay charity," Mint pushed the card to him more. The man's cracked lips trembled as his small hand reached for it. His shoulder rocked violently as salty tears ran over his blemished skin. His fingers started quake as he clenched the card, holding onto it desperately. His chest heaved as he fought back ragged breaths.

"Aizawa-sama… Thank you, thank you, I will never forget… I will repay you one day…" He wept. Mint was taken back by this but she tried to keep her calm, professional face on her as she stood up and left, leaving the man to happily as he looked at the card. Hitomi gaped at Mint, amazed at the transformation she had undergone in a few weeks. Mint caught her glance and gave her a defensive 'what?' look.

"Mint Ane-chan…," Hitomi gaped but Mint gave her another smack on the shoulder, keeping her elitist face on her.

"The Aizawa family was just doing its duty…" Mint replied as the tall, stone fence of the Aiwaza estate came into view.

'Although, for some reason… It felt good to help that man,'

* * *

'I've gotten us into a mess…' Ichigo thought as she slumped her shoulders. Her eyes flicked onto her obento, her stomach yowling in anticipation but the buzz of voices made her a little uneasy. Ichigo picked up her chopsticks, not wanting to alarm Moe and Miwa that something was wrong, luckily they were happily talking about the hottest topic. No matter where Ichigo went, at home, down the street, at school and even in the bathrooms, it stalked her.

"What are they?"

"Aliens?"

"No, why would they defend us then?"

"A force sent by the Alliance?"

"What about the elf people?"

"Yeah, have you heard that they kidnapped a girl? They are here to attack us!"

"Bullshit, this is a ploy by the government,"

"Here comes the conspiracy theories," Miwa moaned before taking a bite of her lunch. The classroom was full of commotion, every single student and teacher, every person on Aquisfera was talking about Tokyo Mew Mew. Ichigo took a bite of her food, her stomach rumbling in content, asking for more as Moe glanced back at her.

"You haven't said a single thing about the Mew Mews all day," She commented, Ichigo swallowed hard as her hands started to shiver somewhat. Of course they didn't pick it up, "I thought you would have been talking about it non stop,"

"Hahaha, really?" Ichigo laughed, rubbing the back of her neck to relieve the tension in her neck. It felt like she was wearing a large, flashing neon sign screaming 'I AM MEW ICHIGO!' on her back.

"Who was your favourite?" Moe asked.

"The yellow one, ah… Mew Pudding! That's it!" Miwa snapped her fingers, "She is amazingly strong and she looks so young and cute!"

"Well I like the Seeker one,"

"But she isn't a Mew Mew, she didn't do anything," Miwa pointed out.

'Hitomi would be upset if she heard that,' Ichigo thought to herself.

"She probably is important and she looks beautiful!" Moe threw back, "But my favourite Mew Mew… Umm… Mew Ichigo," and Ichigo froze, her heart beginning to pound a little faster.

"Her cat ears are adorable! I want to touch them, they must be so soft,"

"I guess you like her since she has your name," Moe grinned at Ichigo.

"No!" Ichigo pouted, blushing profusely.

"I think so, you're blushing," Moe grinned, "I don't blame you, not many people are called Ichigo that I know,"

'I'm blushing because everyone is praising me!' Ichigo let out a sigh of relief, 'Thank goodness they cannot recognise me, then again here at school I'm just normal, plain Ichigo whereas Mew Ichigo is a superhero cat girl, proud and determined. If my closest friends can't figure out that I'm Mew Ichigo then no one can,' Ichigo thought happily.

"Or, she could be blushing over… A..MA." Miwa added, glancing off to Moe with a smile. Ichigo blinked twice before she shook her head.

"N-n-no! What makes you think that?" Ichigo blubbered, staring at her two friends with large eyes. Miwa and Moe raised their eyebrows, glancing at each other before they erupted into laughter.

"What makes us think that? Ichigo, you are a hopeless romantic,"

"A daydreamer too,"

"And you have Aoyama-kun chasing after you, why wouldn't you be daydreaming?" Moe pointed out.

"He isn't chasing after me," Ichigo replied, taking another bite of her food in mid-pout. Her heart started to slow down from all the praise as the thought came into her head.

'I mean to sound harsh but we went on that date at the zoo and after that… He hasn't really talked to me that much. He hasn't admitted anything to me, no feelings… No nothing…' Ichigo thought, 'If he truly was chasing after me then wouldn't he have admitted some feelings? After all Kish-' Her thoughts stopped dead, her muscles tensing up as the cruel heated yet cool gaze of Kish came into her mind. He was the opposite to Masaya in every way, his gaze devoured her, eating up her up while his hands roamed her body, pulsating with his a wintry libido. Masaya's hands were strong, his touch like a soft and delicate feather. His gaze was kind and warm when she looked back him. Ichigo nibbled on her lower lip, trying to get the thought of Kish's body on hers out of her mind. Her stomach turned, panic tickling her insides.

"Don't say that! He called you cute, agreed to go on two dates with you when he rejects everyone else! That counts for something doesn't it?" Miwa asked however Ichigo was still gazing down at her lunch, dark thoughts still in her mind, "He is really busy with Kendo training, after all the competition is in a few days. Don't give up hope just because he has been busy," Miwa added.

"Yeah… I know… I guess I'm being selfish," Ichigo said, snapping out of her thoughts.

"It's okay to be selfish, you're suppose to be spoilt by the boyfriend after all," Moe smiled.

"Also true love cannot be pushed," Miwa added, glancing off at Moe with a smile, "We will cheer them on and watch their relationship bloom,".

"Yes, we'll watch them turn from shy school children to lovebirds,".

'They will never change…' Ichigo smiled to herself.

* * *

Ichigo stretched her back as she walked out of the school gates waving goodbye to a few of her classmates. Ichigo just wanted to fall on her bed, sleep off all the stress that she had built up over the day. A single mention of the Mew Mews, she was tensed up, preparing to be slammed by 'fans' or even worse…

'No! No! Don't think about that!' She thought to herself concentrate on the present. Like the cafe, 'Argh! Why do we have to work at the Café! Can't they just have a base where we meet up?'

"At least no one figured it out," Ichigo murmured aloud quietly, "If they can't notice the similarities then Aoyama-kun cou-"

"What is it Momomiya-san?" Masaya asked, appearing behind her. He peered over her shoulder, his puppy-like eyes staring at her in curiousity. Ichigo's lips quivered in time with her legs as her heart trembled, thundering as her trademark love-sick blush exploded on her cheeks. She could see every eyelash, each flick of his raven hair and could feel his warm breath over her cheek and down her neck. It felt soft, tingling her skin as if velvet sheets ran over her skin in the morning sun.

"A-aoyama-kun! I didn't see you!" Ichigo jumped back away from him.

"Sorry did I scare you?" Masaya laughed.

"No, I'm fine," Ichigo smiled, "How's Kendo practise?"

"Sho-senpai sent me home for today, he's telling me I'm overdoing it," Masaya smiled, "So I was just going to…" He paused for a second as a thought came into his mind, "Are you busy?"

"Ah not right now, I'm working at the café but I have some spare time,"

"Do you want to come to the park with me? I can take you straight to the café afterwards," Masaya asked, nodding off to the direction of the park. Ichigo lowered her gaze, her eyes sparkling happily.

"I'd love to," Ichigo smiled. Masaya's hand reached out to hers, his hand encasing her hand protectively and warmly as he led her to the park. Ichigo heart fluttered in her chest but she tried her best to prevent her cat ears from appearing, matching his gait, lacing her fingers around his as she just absorbed everything. All the thoughts that plagued her mind, aliens, the café, the mission and even about Kish, they were all wiped away just from Masaya's presence. Ichigo slowly filled the gap between them, shyly, until her shoulder was touching his. The scenery flew by, Ichigo didn't even realise that they were in the park until Masaya hesitated for a second before walking off the main path.

"Sorry, it's just quicker if we off of the trail," Masaya explained.

"It's okay," Ichigo smiled as the trees enclosed them, the undergrowth and bushes almost swallowing them.

'Where are we going? There's nothing around this part of the park, nothing but trees and… Nothing… So it will be completely deserted...' Ichigo froze as a thought clicked, 'Why does Aoyama-kun want to go here? Could he… Perhaps is he confessing to me? No! No! Ichigo don't jump to conclusion…' Her heart was at a constant loud beat but then her thoughts turned up the bass and the volume, the combination rattling her nerves. 'But this happens in manga and movies doesn't it? Somewhere romantic, somewhere private and then…' Her lips began to quiver, her mind was filled with vivid images.

A beautiful clearing with no one in sight. Only her and Masaya. He will pull her in close, each inch of her body pressed into his broad chest. Her body will mash up against him, exchanging heat, hearts throbbing against one another, pleading, wanting, lusting for each other, 'Oh no! No! Don't think of that!' Ichigo told herself but her pelvic muscles twitched, a jump of excited energy pooled below her gut. Ichigo had thought of these things before, of course, after all it was only natural but this reaction, it was more powerful than anything she had felt before. 'Is it possible that the fusion intensified feelings? No, that can't be true…' She took a deep breath, trying to calm herself but all she could smell was Masaya's powerful deodorant and an his underlying scent. It was intoxicating. The strange boiling seeped between her legs, her fingers twitching in his grasp. Masaya looked at her for a second, before he tightened his grasp on her hand. 'A reaction! Is he perhaps… NO! NO! NO!' Ichigo screamed at herself, closing her eyes, 'My ears! My ears!' She could feel her blood boiling, her ears starting to slide up her head.

"Ningen, kokufuku," She barely whispered, biting down on her lip to drown out her thoughts.

"Momomiya-san," Masaya called out as they stepped out of the trees. Ichigo opened her eyes, only for them to fly open. There was a clearing and in the center was a large cherry blossom tree, its branches full of thousands and thousands of pink blossoms, ready to flutter away like butterflies on the spring breeze, "Here we are, do you remember this place?"

"Here?" Ichigo tried to push by the lascivious thoughts, jumping into the present but her mind was still a hazy blur, "Umm…"

"Haha, I don't blame you for not remembering. It's where I brought you after you passed out," Masaya laughed, walking up to the Cherry Blossom tree.

"Oh…" Ichigo tried to dig deep into her memory, she could just remember the hazy image of his caring eyes, the warmth, the unbelievable warmth as her heart throbbing deep in her chest. Her heartbeat that day just continuously reverberated in her blood.

'That was after I was infused with the Iriomote Yamaneko DNA… Perhaps all that was an effect of the change?…' Her thoughts stopped as Masaya let go of her hand, walking up to the tree as he inspected it. Ichigo was deep in thought, oblivious to Masaya's harsh gaze as he observed the tree, concentrating on something. 'That day was the happiest day of my life… I went on a date with you, Masaya Aoyama. I was the luckiest girl, the happiest girl, a normal girl. Before I know it, my body,' Ichigo stared at her own hands, frowning as if she was looking at dirty, filth in her palms, 'I'm changed forever, my body and my life. I don't just go to school and go home, enjoy my weekends shopping and at the karaoke bar. No, I fight monsters, lustful aliens that intend to rape me, become a slave at a café and my body is plagued, changed by a foreign DNA… Why did that had to happen? Why me? There isn't a reason for it, I wasn't chosen, I have no outstanding traits. I'm just normal. Why me?'

Masaya placed his palm on the tree, looking at the smooth trunk before he pulled away, shaking his hand. He swore he could feel something, like a cool breeze around the tree, or a pulse.

'I've been watching to much fantasy anime and movies,' He told himself, 'But then again… After what has happened…' He spun around to look at Ichigo.

"Momomiya-san? Are you okay?" He asked, snapping her out of her thoughts. She did a little jump, her eyebrows rising from the sour frown that was plastered on her face.

"Ah! Yes! Sorry!" She almost whimpered as Masaya motioned for her to walk over.

"We never did find out what made you collapse didn't we? That day I mean," He asked, to start up some conversation.

"No… I just…" Ichigo shook her head, looking up at the tree, "I'm amazed that the blossoms came out so early… It isn't even April yet…" Ichigo commented, trying to avoid the topic of the infusion.

"Yeah, that's why I brought you up here. No one thinks twice about it, I wanted someone else's opinion. I know that you just won't shrug it off. I wonder if this is the effect of some atmospheric factor or some kind of seasonal or temperature change…" His words sped up as he pondered the reasons for this phenomenon. Ichigo's mind however went blank, staring at him with a mixed emotion of amazement and total bewilderment.

"I feel so stupid when I'm around you," She laughed, "You truly are a genius," She smiled at him kindly, "I wish I could be as smart as you," She sighed, she could only imagine how happy and proud her parents would be.

"You aren't born smart, you have to develop it," Masaya smiled, he rubbed the back of his neck as his mind started to form sentences for him, his mouth uttering them before he even noticed, "If you want… I could tutor you whenever you need it Momomiya-san…" He asked, looking away from Ichigo as his heart was overwhelmed by a delicate feeling, as if fireflies were tickling him and it would only get worse if he stared into her eyes.

"I'd love to!" Ichigo smiled at him when his heart thudded heavily.

Before he knew it his vision bleached, a hazy, fuzzy image appearing before him. He was in a large room, everything was made of stone tiles and blocks, obviously not fragile sedimentary rock since most blocks were stable, not a single crack defiling them even though thin moss covered the cracks along with strange, fern like plants popping up through the floor. Before him was a woman, in her mid thirties easily. Masaya was taken away at how her eyes shone like a proud mother, her stance not threatening but calming and fragile. He needed to protect her. He needed to have her. No one else could lay a finger on her. She was important to him.

'_Thank you, I appreciated your offer. If you please, regard me kindly. I am only novice yet I shall learn quickly my lord,"_ She smiled, her cheeks slightly blushing as long bangs sat over her eyes.

As soon as the vision appeared, in a blink of an eye it disappeared. Masaya was once again in the world of colour, reality and looking down on the cheerful, bubbly Ichigo. Masaya's breathed quivered, his bone chilled to the bone as the muscles squirmed. He looked deeply into her pink eyes, they swirled with pleasure but they were dark, the door to her soul locked tight. She was hiding something, Masaya knew it, why hadn't anyone else seen it? His façade snapped, his body moving without thought, with no control. His hands clasped on her shoulders, she was so small in his grasp, she felt so innocent and weak. He moved himself closer to her face, watching a blush break out over her full cheeks. He moved his head down, closer and closer to hers as he studied her eyes more.

"A-a-a-a-a," Ichigo stuttered, her mouth not able to move to form coherent words. His gaze was sharp, determined and studious as he moved closer.

'Ah, please don't… I… My ears… My tail…' Ichigo thought hopelessly as the lustful sensations returned, slamming into her at full force. He held her tightly, there was no escape, however unlike when Kish did this, she didn't want to run away. She wanted it. Her body was craving it, 'No! No! I'm only in junior high! Agh! I'm not ready for it yet! But… I… Aoyama-kun… What have you done to me…?' She was nothing but butter in his strong arms, she wanted to throw herself at him.

"Momomiya-san there is another reason why I brought you here. Ever since that day… I've worried about you," He admitted, "How you fainted and then your sickness the next few days and then the horrible event at the zoo. I was so worried, worried that you would never speak to me again. I keep thinking, perhaps they are after you. I wondered if they would appear somewhere and I couldn't be there… but then I just shake my head, thinking that can't be right…" He mused to her in a hushed voice, however it made his breath tease her neck even more. She wanted to reach out and hold him, yet she knew if she ever tapped his skin, her ears would slide up her head, black fur covering them as she transformed, "But, I can't help but worry about you…"

'Momomiya-san… You are Mew Ichigo… Aren't you?'

* * *

**Zoey Hoshi:** It took me a while to write this mainly due to other commitments but it's just hard to write. Hopefully it was only for this chapter.


	35. Building Thunder

**Author's Note: **Sorry for the long gap between chapters however, hopefully my hiatus is now over as my holidays are, yet, I hope that my free time will not disappear entirely this year. My creative spark has returned, a little though but at least it is back. Anyway, onto the chapter.

**Note:** I am Australian, and we have alternative ways of spelling certain words from America. Eg. Mum/Mom, -ise/-ize etc.

Every artist needs opinions and loves to listen to them. Please, leave behind constructive criticisms and/or thoughts on the chapters. If you think there is something wrong with the chapter, I implore you, please explain _why_ and even suggest options and ideas for me to improve the next chapter. Even though I love writing and this is truly just writing down a world that is playing out in my head, I do want to improve my skill and see that people enjoy themselves.

_**Thank you.**_

* * *

**Chapter 35: Building Thunder**

Pudding skipped along the street, basking in the strong sunlight. She paused at the lights, waiting for the walk signal, taking the opportunity to observe the area. It was a habit she had quickly developed due to the Golden Lion Tamarin DNA roaming in her blood, she had to make sure everything in her surround territory was in perfect condition, untouched by enemies. She briefly glanced it over to calm her animal DNA nerves before she went back to planning her performance at the café. She crossed the road, diving into the park before she jumped up into the nearest tree. Pudding had gotten used to using the dense network of trees to travel to and from the café, she even had discovered which clothes of hers gave her the best movability. She couldn't help but smile that it happened to be her orange, silk Chinese suit and red slip-on shoes that her father had sent over from China.

'Pudding better thank him when he returns home,' She thought when she halted, her two hands slapping around a top branch, curling her feet around a thick tree branch. She stealthy crept forward to peer out of the greenery to see a large crowd of reporters, circling around the front doors of Café Mew Mew. Pudding watched, just wanting to jump down and perform to the crowd of money-filled adults but she remembered her father's training.

"_If you want to be a successful warrior Pudding, you must use your brain as well as your brawn,"_ His deep, thick Chinese accent fresh in her memory.

"So it is truly a coincidence?" A reporter asked before pushing her microphone rudely into Keiichiro's face. He held his gentleman posture and charm, smiling professionally.

"Yes, the name of this Café, Café Mew Mew is named after one of the English onomatopoeic words for a cat's meow. See our mascot on our roof, the angel cat?" He pointed to the golden cat statue that sat on top of the café, "The name was derived from that, a symbol created by the Shirogane family. We started building this Café a year ago, so it is a total coincidence that Tokyo Mew Mew appeared. We have absolutely no connection to them, however we do support them in their plight to fight against these monster attacks. These attacks have harmed many people, it is truly unfortunate that some people have lost businesses, friends and family and even their own health. So, to help out the best we can, we are also going to make Mew Mew brand merchandise, which, a large percentage of funds will be sent to the families of these victims," Keiichiro advertised.

Ryou's icy blue stare watched the front door sharply, perched on a table nearby a window. Lettuce walked into the room, her green emerald eyes flicking onto him, the door and then back to him. His eyes looked harsher as he frowned slightly, his lips in a thin line and even though Lettuce walked up to him slowly, his face didn't falter, frozen still, preventing any emotions leaking out however his bouncing knee and tapping fingers betrayed him.

"Shirogane-san… Are you okay?" Lettuce asked, Ryou blinked, snapping out of his nervous thoughts.

"You should be asking if we will be okay," he eventually said, his gaze still on the closed front door. His ears were tuned onto Keiichiro's voice as he tried to charismatically talk his way out of danger, "I thought something like this might happen if you girls were discovered but after last night…" Ryou trailed off, his brow lowering. Lettuce bit her lip, knowing that she contributed to it. If only she collected Mew Ichigo and they all escaped from the scene, they perhaps wouldn't be in such a mess.

"I'm sorry Shirogane-san… We didn't think about what might happen…" Lettuce's hands clutched her green pleated skirt, lowering her eyes to the clean floor of the café.

"You had been captured by them, you saved Mew Ichigo and Mew Zakuro and stopped those aliens from carrying out their plan…" Ryou stepped in, glancing at Lettuce. Lettuce looked back up at him and into his burning blue eyes, she was taken back at how intense they were, burning into her before his face softened, "I thought you wouldn't be able to work today… How did you're family take it?" Ryou asked gently, shifting away from the grave subject.

"Oh… Well, they were shocked but they luckily watched the news so they believed Mew Zakuro's story. They did keep me home today from school, my dad checked on me before I went to sleep, tucking me in and checked on me before he went to work. Mum stayed home, making me my favourite dishes, brushing my hair… I felt like I was a spoilt five year old. My brother… He couldn't stop crying… I had to stay with him and when he left for school," Lettuce stopped, her eyes glistening as water balled up at the corners of her eyes, "When he left for school, he held onto me, crying and pleading to me to not to go away…" Lettuce went quiet, wiping away her tears, "It took me a while to convince mum to let me out… Sorry but may I make a selfish request?" Lettuce asked him, Ryou had been watching her carefully, for a second, Lettuce thought he wouldn't listen to her but he slowly nodded, "May I leave once we close? Otherwise…" Lettuce trailed off again.

"Yes, however I want to talk to you all now that you are all gathered up," Ryou said. A silence settled over them before he glanced into her eyes again, "You are still worried aren't you?" He asked her bluntly, Lettuce tilted her head slightly, confused at first at what he meant, "You don't like lying to your family do you?" Lettuce froze, her heart thumping loudly as Ryou hit the nail on the head.

"Yes…" She sighed, "Yes…"

"Our way of life has been threatened, My fa-" He stopped mid-sentence, his gaze harsh, "Someone once said to me, 'Desperate times call for desperate measures,', unfortunately, we have to live by that. We are protecting innocent lives, protecting our planet and to do that successfully, we must do whatever is necessary to keep us hidden… Or this," He pointed at the front door, "Is the least of our worries…"

"Keiichiro-san is a master at handling that crowd," Hitomi said, walking out of the change room with Pudding behind her.

"Lettuce Onee-chan! You're okay na no aa!" Pudding cheered, latching herself onto Lettuce's torso, her arms wrapping around her in a tight hug.

"Pu-pu-pudding-san…" Lettuce stammered, lurching backwards as Pudding's weight dragged her down. Pudding nuzzled her face into Lettuce, smiling happily before she scrambled up onto her back. Lettuce swayed back and forth, her arms flailing around wildly like a fish out of water, trying to stabilise herself.

"Lettuce Onee-chan, balance yourself na no da!" Pudding laughed, draping her arms over Lettuce's shoulders, wrapping her legs around Lettuce's wide hips. Thankfully Lettuce was able to stop swaying, holding up Pudding's weight. Ryou smirked a little at this before Hitomi sat down beside him.

"Are they already onto us?" Hitomi asked him.

"They matched up Tokyo Mew Mew with Café Mew Mew," Ryou quickly explained.

"Well that was going to happen wasn't it? It's like a vampire trying to act like a normal guy but living in a creepy, tall house on top of a hill where bats constantly fly around it," Hitomi said.

"Hey, I didn't come up with the name of the café, if it was up to me, this wouldn't be a café," Ryou huffed, "Keiichiro hopefully will end all suspicion today,"

"Anyway, in a way, it was good that the majority of the media was focused at the front of the cafe, it will be easier for Fujiwara to get here without detection," Hitomi said when the backdoor slammed close, announcing the arrival of a blushing Ichigo. Yet as her bewildered gaze swept over the girls and Ryou, her blush caused by Masaya earlier faded and she voiced her echoing thoughts.

"You're making Zakuro Fujiwara, a famous model, work at Café Mew Mew?".

* * *

"You look amazing Onee-sama!" Mint cried out, a slight blush on her cheeks as Zakuro turned around, looking at her reflection in the mirror, staring at her own Café Mew Mew uniform, as per usual, customised to her Mew Mew colour.

"Yeah, I doubted it at first but that uniform makes you look cute," Calum laughed before he rubbed his chin that was covered in dark stubble, "Yet, you also make that uniform somewhat sexy," He laughed louder. His eyes flicked over to Hitomi and Ichigo, who were watching him nervously, the American-born, rising guitarist Calum Johnson sitting in front of them. He easily could tell that he had fans in the room, so did Zakuro.

"I'll take that as a compliment," Zakuro sternly glanced at Calum who walked into the change room, sitting down on the flat lounge that ran up the middle of the room, "Thank you," Zakuro turned to Mint who stood beside her, smiling slightly. It still unnerved her a little at how Mint adored her, even after everything she did to her.

"So… On top of your modeling career, which gets in the way of your education sometimes; on top of the advertisements you get paid to do frequently and on top of photo shoots, school work and social life… You are going to work at a café, a newly opened café that is gaining popularity?" Calum asked, his hazel hair now dyed into a deep, midnight blue with black streaks.

"Yes, but it is only part-time though," Zakuro simply replied as Calum gawked at her, "Akasaka-san has allowed me to not work time to time due to my other commitments," Zakuro said.

"But why? You have enough money as it is…" He asked, sitting up and staring at her. Hitomi and Lettuce glanced at each other, anxiety bubbling up in their stomachs.

'He's clever but someone else would ask why a famous teenager, with all the money she could want is working at a café, a café called Café Mew Mew when Tokyo Mew Mew has appeared and one is called Mew Zakuro? Someone will make that connection won't they? Oh no…' Images appeared in Lettuce's mind, after talking to Ryou, her mind screamed with the possible scenarios that could happen. Obviously, Zakuro had thought of this too.

"Didn't you tell me that I need to get more comfortable in public? To spend time as Zakuro, not the amazing model, Zakuro Fujiwara," Zakuro threw back his own words, "If I'm surrounded by lots of people everyday, working like a normal teenager, won't I be doing just that?" She asked him. Calum arched an eyebrow, amazed at how cheekily she used his own advice against her senpai, calming him somewhat instantly. However, he still had a little skeptical bubble floating in his mind, refusing to pop at her words but he sighed, overlooking it and giving up.

"I still think it's a bad idea," He half sung.

"Sorry Fujiwara-san, but isn't Johnson-sa-" Ichigo started up when Calum looked at her.

"Hey, just call me Calum, I'll never be used to the whole 'last name-san' thing," He smiled.

"Okay… I agree with Calum-san," Ichigo struggled with acting so familiar with a celebrity she was a fan of, "This café already has enough attention and is quite popular. Won't it be hard if they find out that you work here? The café will be swarmed all the time by media and fans," Ichigo explained.

"I know Ichigo" Zakuro said, everyone looked at Zakuro with curiousity as she walked over to her school bag, "I've prepared for that," She said, unzipping a side pocket to reveal a small white container.

"What is that na no da?" Pudding asked, jumping over to her.

"Coloured contacts, that's all I need," Zakuro said, opening them and carefully putting in the dark, gray-blue tinted contacts.

"Is that really all you need?" Lettuce asked.

"Yes, since fans and normal civilians don't know to much about the rich and famous, they have their own ideas about where they are and where they go. They get the conclusion that it's somewhere fancy, not somewhere common, like here. When they see celebrities, only the paparazzi are rude enough to come barreling towards them, a civilian will think, "I wonder if that's…?" but they will doubt themselves. So to think that Zakuro Fujiwara works at a Café, that is out of their mind, they will suspects and these contacts as well as my… personality…" She darkened her tone staring at Calum, "It'll drive them off,".

"That's true," Lettuce snapped her fingers, "In show business, you always have to have a cheery attitude and a perfect façade however, no one truly acts like that in real life,"

"Yeah, not to mention Zakuro can be a total bi-" Calum started when Zakuro gave him a hard gaze to shut him up.

"Anyway, Calum you better leave after all, we're working now," Zakuro told Calum. At first, he looked like he was going to sulk, refusing to leave but he stood up and waved goodbye to the girls. Zakuro walked out of the change room, Calum right at her heels as he followed her to the back door.

"You really want to work here don't you? Do you get benefits like all you can eat after shifts?" He continued to prod, "Or, for those girls… That blue haired one particular… Are they your friends?" Zakuro opened the door, pausing for a second as she picked her words carefully, the hinges slowly creaking.

"I guess you could say that…" Zakuro sighed, "WI did something bad to them and right now, I'm still a little cynical about them," Zakuro carefully trod around the major plot points, hoping to get some good advice.

"Why?"

"They are different to me and haven't been through anything like I have… They are all so immature but at the same time, I can't help but feel I'm conceited…" Zakuro blathered as Calum leaned on the door frame, trying to make some sense of what she was saying.

"I guess…" He raised one eyebrow, struggling to find words of wisdom for his kohai, "You can teach them, can't you, show them the ropes and then learn from them… From your words, it sounds like your putting your doubt behind you and giving them a chance, just, umm, see how it goes I guess,"

"That speech lacked the luster that they usually have. Is my waitress out fit really distracted you that much?" Zakuro laughed.

"Hey, I am teenage boy, aprons and skirts wake the roaring lion," Calum grinned, looking at Zakuro like a perverted man out of a comedy anime.

"I hope you're joking," Zakuro rolled her eyes, "Thank you anyway for the words, you always are able to ease my mind,"

"Yep, that's what they told me to do when the new batch of kohai came along," He smiled, "Everyway, I better go now before I'm seen, perhaps one day I'll make a star appearance," He smirked, waving goodbye to her.

* * *

Kish sat down, legs crossed in the centre of the sleeping quarters. His yellow eyes glowed in the dim room, glaring forward at an invisible enemy. He blocked out the surrounding world, absorbed in his own mind as his thoughts flew by him, stirring many different emotions.

'Keeki… What happened to her? She must have been captured, after all, the base was broken into at the prison and we haven't found a body…' Silence gripped the base, only sometimes the occasional splash sounded from the Para Para breeding tank. 'The Mew Mews… Did they take her with them? No… They didn't have anyone with them when they attacked,' Kish thought back to that night, the cold night air on his skin, against Mew Ichigo's throbbing chest and then boiling hatred as that man's voice jeered at them through Keeki's communicator, 'Could it have been him? Maybe he found the base, let out the Mew Mews and captured Keeki… Perhaps… Is he working alongside the Mews? They might have a whole force that is hidden from us… Like the ballet girl, I've never seen her before and that other girl that kicked me that one time…' His upper lip curled, flashing his teeth at the invisible enemy before his face dropped, darkening as memories appeared of the white hair, golden gaze Kaerfuan girl.

'She wasn't a fighter,' Kish never saw her once with a weapon, 'She only had that deformed Para Para by her side, it wouldn't be able to defend her though. If she was really attacked by someone that night, she was so small, so fragile, she would easily lose to them,'. His sharp fingernails started dig into his skin as intrusive images of crimson plasma trickling over her pale skin, her high-pitched screams as they tortured her with alien-like devices. Humiliating her, defiling her, murdering her soul…

'They would have kidnapped her, after all, now everyone on this planet knows of our existence and she was researching these people so if they broke her…' Kish grated his teeth together however it slipped, his canine teeth cutting into his tongue. The hot, copper-like, thick liquid filled his mouth quickly, foully tingling his throat. He fell forward, parting his lips to let it dribble out as his eyes searched for anything to help him.

"God, I look fucking pitiful right now…" He hoarsely said aloud, wiping away the blood from his pointy chin. He found a small cloth nearby, making quick use of it, pushing it into the cut. He sat himself down on an old mattress, the springs groaning under his weight. They rudely bumped into his boney body, the material of the mattress was stained, smelling of strange, salty scents that made his nose tingle when he buried his face into it but it was still a bed for Kish. He remembered the day Keeki found and brought it back for him from a large tip, smiling at her own achievement for finding them all suitable beds. His heart throbbed with grief, threatening to overpower him when another thought came barging into his mind, a more militaristic voice snapping him to attention.

'We've blown our cover now, Lord Furaro's plan for a quiet take over has failed because of us and our radio systems have been hacked… We have to report our failure home… I wonder if Sasujiro has contacted them yet…' He lowered his eyebrows as a thought came into his head, 'His plan of a silent take-over is now dead in the water however, how much longer could we keep it silent?' His thoughts were interrupted as Sasujiro teleported in front of him.

"Kish, repor-" Sasujiro paused as he looked at Kish who had his tongue out as if he had tasted something disgusting and was pushing a bloodstained cloth into his tongue, "What happened?" He asked softly, Kish was little taken back at how his own personal feelings got in the way of his duties for the mission.

"Bit' mah togun'" He mumbled, Sasujiro looked him over, confused before he shook it off, "Don' worry, nawthing 'as come 'ere buwt I heard vwoices a ittle w'hile ago," Kish tried to report.

'No jokes… Straight up report without teasing me…' Sasujiro thought, a strange, heavy silence breaking out. Sasujiro must have felt it, his shoulders and body sinking with the weight, dragging him down as he tried to tell Kish something.

"I couldn't find her," Sasujiro cut to the chase, "Not a trace of her nor that Para Para of hers…" Kish's face dropped even more. He took off the cloth and retracted his tongue back into his mouth. His lips paused into a thin line as his face grew darker, brooding with dark clouded emotions.

"I see… Have you reported it yet?" Kish asked in a deadpan voice.

"Yes, I've shut down all but one communicator so I can receive the reply from Lord Furaro. I've found a new place to relocate our activities to, prepare to evacuate once the operation has started," Sasujiro informed him quickly, leaving Kish in a daze.

"What? Please explain what you're yapping about?" Kish asked when the last remaining communicator flashed. Sasujiro didn't waste any time to respond.

"Sasujiro reporting," Sasujiro spoke into it, his voice calm and collected.

"Sasujiro Ohaju, my fellow warrior, I apologise," The deep, gravely voice of Furaro emitted from the device. "My plan has backfired and created heavy losses on you. I feel deep sorrow for what I'm about to say… Thank you for identifying our enemies capabilities yet it costed Keeki's life. We shall hold a ceremony in her honour after tonight. I looked over your plan, I must say, even by initiating this, by tonight, we will have hit the Aquisferans hard,".

"Sir, what do you want us to do?" Kish stepped in, "I don't know of this plan but how can we hit the whole planet hard?" Sasujiro gazed at him harshly for not addressing him as Lord Furaro however to Kish, it sounded unnatural and didn't roll of the tongue.

"Ah Kish, perfect, you both are here, listen up and listen carefully," Furaro snapped them into attention, "After speaking with everyone, we have decided to scrap the silent invasion, it is deemed impossible when we are reclaiming a planet with over eight billion lives on it. We need to formulate massive strikes on the entire planet, synchornised and carefully planned out operations while we constantly grind them down with Para Para assaults and attacks," He explained.

"You mean, a full out invasion?" Kish asked, he felt as if he was standing on the edge of a bottomless ravine, about to plummet as the dreaded weight of the situation took hold.

"Yes, I have sent out a fleet towards the planet, filled with Para Para breeders, researchers and warriors. I will station them at each major city that has a large Ki reaction, covering the surrounding area. I am sending four more Kaerufans to your position," He explained, "Use a full out strike against Aquis-Tokyo, we will follow it up with a full attack using Para Para and my warriors around the rest of the planet," Furaro continued. Kish's head snapped up, swallowing his words entirely. No matter what, he couldn't help but voice his thoughts.

"Won't we be sacrificing more of our people for this though?" Kish asked, his voice distressed. Sasujiro and Furaro immediately knew what he meant by that, why his voice was heavier then lead.

"Yes, I understand that, we all do Kish however for the greater good of our people, we must make sacrifices, that is known throughout history…" Furaro said heavily, "Sorry Kish, Sasujiro, please understand that is our final stand for our race, we cannot survive here any longer… Deep Blue is awakening, we must find him and welcome him to our planet, our planet, not a planet full of these vermin,"

"We understand Lord Furaro," Sasujiro bowed his head, understanding everything, accepting it quickly.

"When the reinforcement arrive they will give you the new updated communicators, every warrior on the planet will have them so you can plan together. After this, destroy this remaining communicator. Good luck. End transmission," Furaro's voice disappeared and swiftly, without a pause, Sasujiro threw the communicator to the ground, smashing the front and then Kish summoned his Dragon Swords, smashing the communicator more.

"So, mind telling me your plan…" Kish asked, looking up at him as he picked up his sai.

"Well, Kish, what are the two most important elements of life?" He asked him.

"Sorry Mr. Scientist but I was brought here to fight, not for chemistry," Kish mumbled, slightly irritated however Sasujiro couldn't help just snicker. Kish folding his arms, pouting slightly until Sasujiro calmed down.

"Well, when he head over to our new base I'll fill you in but, don't you think it'll be interesting to turn the two most important elements that life depends on them to exterminate them?"

* * *

"I wonder if Ichigo is still working at that café?" Miwa asked before she checked her watch, "Too late anyway, they would be closing up now," She sighed, slightly disappointed, the image of the cute pastries of Café Mew Mew teased her, the sweet smell and the perfect taste.

"I could go for a cupcake and iced coffee," Moe voiced her own fantasy until she pouted, "Honestly, Ichigo has everything, a job that gives her all the sweets she could want, plenty of money and not to mention a perfect boyfriend…"

"Hmm, specially the last part… After all, they walked off together this afternoon," Miwa giggled, "Apparently they headed to the park,"

"To drop her off to work?" Moe asked.

"Moe, use that head of yours, why would a boy take a girl that he emits is cute into the park, all alone?"

"No, he couldn't have…" Moe's voice wavered as the images of what could've happened flew through her mind. Due to her love of fanfiction, her imagination slowly worked its way up the rating until she hit adult fanficiton territory. Her lips trembled in slight excitement, a faint blush threatening to prickling her ears and cheecks.

"Don't think about what I think your thinking about," Miwa gave her a sly look.

Silence and glass shattered around them, piercing through the calm evening atmosphere, freezing the peace that everyone was entranced by. Miwa froze up, the cracking of glass ripping through her cheerful, carefree attitude as fragments of glass started to rain down on street from the buildings above but luckily Moe was able to keep control, slamming her arm into Miwa's side, knocking her to safety before jumping under cover with her, small glass shards slicing her skin. It felt like flicks of embers were raining on them from a dim, blood lit evening sky, the cuts burning and throbbing as blood began to trickle over their skin. Miwa cried out, her muscles stretching unnaturally in her ankle as her ankle twisted and rolled suddenly as her body was thrown to the ground. Pain pulsated, pulling on each tissue painfully with a burning grip before flooding around in her blood. Moe dropped everything, ignoring how the glass shards in her wounds pricked her skin as she rushed to Miwa's side, looking her over as her screams tortured her, concern building up her throat.

"Miwa! Miwa! What's wrong!" Moe desperately asked as a flood of flying black Chimera bats flew out of the buildings, winding around like a deadly, black river in the darkening sky.

"My ankle! It hurts! It hurts!" Miwa screamed above the high-pitched clicks of the Chimera bats. Sticky tears began to stream from her eyes, stinging her as they fell into the small cuts, glittering with glass specks. The Chimera Animas circled around until they dropped down onto the street below, folding their wings and using the bald, armoured patch on their foreheads to slam into glass windscreens and windows of the surrounding buildings. Screeching of tires, sliding over tarmac joined the frightful night chorus. The shriek of metal as cars scratched by another and followed by yelling and screaming of people as everyone ran away, wide eyes watching the concrete cracked open, roads splitting apart as cars were crumpled against each other as if they were made from paper. Moe for once, wished she was deaf so the painfully wailing of injured, terrified people that rose up like the flames that rose from the wreckage of infrastructure and vehicals around them. Moe thought for a second that there was an earthquake, the ground fracturing around them, the ground shuddering under her feet however her phone nor anyone else's had picked up an early earthquake warning.

'No… it's something else…' The ground then erupted, pipes, tarmac, dirt and concrete slabs falling down around a three-story tall Para Paban that slunk out of the hole. Moe immediately recognised it from the news reports however it looked different. A large metal helmet covered its face, and the small wings were covered in enforced plates of metal. Thick plates of gray armour covered its slimy-textured back, only its stomach was bare. The Armoured Para Paban reared up, let forth a cry, showing off its strange, semi-transparent skin as scathing light balled up in its mouth. Moe and Miwa had no time to react when it let forth its attack. Their bodies were frozen in place, they could only watch in horror as the ball was propelled into a tall building, burning through the building frame and exploding through the levels of the building.

Moe wrapped her arms around Miwa's shoulders protectively, Miwa's trembling, aching feet scrambled, trying to put distance between them and the Armoured Para Paban. Moe helped her back as the front of her head throbbed once and was followed by a tide that washed over her head, sucking weight away from her. Her vision blurred for a second, as if she almost fell into a Microsleep.

"They'll save us right?" Miwa moaned, "Tokyo Mew Mew… Right?"

* * *

Tremors, ones more violent erupted nearby. Otachi's family could feel it under their feet, nearby tremors yelled over the slight ones however only Otachi's mother knew that these tremors were popping up all over the city. Otachi cowered on the floor, shrinking under the dining table as if the long table cloth would protect him. His whole body trembled from fear, anxiety and pumping adrenaline that raged at him, commanding him to run. The unnatural shrieks, the hollering that rose over the silent evening air. His rusty dark brown eyes flicked open to see his father still in his businessman suit, flinging his suitcase to the ground, running to the back door to close it as his mother ran to do the same to the front door.

"What's happening? Are we going to die?" Otachi whimpered pitifully, the fur on his tail standing up as he let out a canine wailing, boarding on howling. Otachi's Mother curled her lip, fire burning in her stomach as she watched her son. Otachi's chest heaved, as if he was about to throw up his guts until a long howl sounded from him, at this, his father came running, staring at his son with wide, worried eyes. He dropped to his side, hushing soothing words, patting his shoulder and back in an attempt to calm him while he trying to calm himself.

His mother growled, her black ears flattening as she ran over to all the windows, locking them and closing all the blinds, "Otachi! Takashi! Barricade every door and every window, close every shutter and blind so no one can see inside!" She pointed at them, her voice harsh like army sergeant as she pulled out torches and candles, "While going that, turn off all power to this house," Otachi flinched at her gruff words, he wanted her to hold him, pat him and tell him everything would be okay but the dog side of him snapped, clicking into action and without another word followed her orders.

"Anyrya," Takashi was slightly bewildered at his wife and how her modern, fragile, housewife image shattered. Her harsh gaze, her frown that accompanied her long, determined growl. It didn't match the pale green dress that fluttered around her knees nor did the white apron. The image shattered along with the world around them. The sky darkened, the sun not wanting to witness what was happening in Aquis-Tokyo. The stars looked down harshly, watching slightly, not giving any warning to the populace of Aquisfera about the wave of alien pods that started to rain down.

* * *

Mew Ichigo breathed heavily, she felt like every breath was replacing her guts, filling her with air. She felt like she would just float away, as if this was a dream.

No, it was no dream.

This was a hellish nightmare.

No matter how hard Ichigo tried to wake up, how much she wished for a rewind button…

Reality was locked into place.

"Ribbon Lettuce Rush!" Mew Lettuce screamed, dealing with a swarm of Chimera Bats, luckily it was just enough to deal with them, each blade slamming through the Chimera Animas, flushing out the Para Para from its body, releasing its grip and returning the bats to their natural form.

'How… How?' Mew Ichigo could only repeat that thought as an Armoured Para Paban screeched at her and the other Mews. Right now, it was hard to believe that a half hour ago they were comfortable in Café Mew Mew. The only thing they could complain about was how Mint didn't pull her weight during the shift, how Ryou worked Ichigo until her arms and legs ached as she walked home. Mew Zakuro leaped out of the way of the Para Paban's attack, her boots skidded over the concrete while she flicked around her Zakuro Whip. Her harsh purple eyes didn't move from the Armoured head of the Para Paban.

"Ribbon Zakuro Pure!" She screamed, trying to loop the purple light whip around its bell-shaped head.

Mew Ichigo could still taste the sweet, sugar icing of the cake Keiichiro had made for them.

_"After all you girls have been through, all of these trials that have made you stronger and now, we are all together, I think its about time to celebrate," He smiled. _

"_He hugged you!" Lettuce and Pudding fawned as Ichigo held her head in her hands. _

"_Yes… I can't believe it and he said he wanted to see me again…" Ichigo giggled. Zakuro smiled at Ichigo, watching how the strong Mew Ichigo turned into a giddy, love-struck school-girl. _

However, Masha's eyes lit up. That's when the sirens rose around them, breaking up their little private party. In a few seconds, the carefree world was ripped away violently, fate replacing it with a screaming, traumatic abyss. Everything blurred after that, as if everything ran in blurred slow motion yet at the same time, it was excessively fast-paced. Tears. Fear. Uncertainly. Hitomi's desperate pleas to help, clawing her way to the Mews as Ryou held her back, his hands grasping her shoulders as Mew Mint harshly snapped her into reality.

Mew Pudding observed the area, the ripped roads were split down the middle, the pipes and earth under it exposed to the night air. Every window on the buildings were cracked, smashed open, allowing paper work to flutter out of the cubicals like butterflies escaping from their chrysalis. The yellow Mew Mew then jumped onto her Ring Inferno, the bouncy substance of the Ring Inferno sprung her into the air. She stared at the Armoured Para Paban as she propelled by it. Luckily the Zakuro Pure had neatly wrapped around the neck of it, making it holler as it started to burn a ring into it. Mew Mint flew above to warn them of any other danger however she drew her Mint Arrow, pulling it back.

"Ribbon Mint Echo!" She let the blue arrow head fly straight to its head however, after colliding with a little ting, its was repelled away, flying up into the night sky. Mew Zakuro hissed, wondering what kind of metal or element was used to create this armour.

"Mew Pudding, reinforce your kick with an attack!" Mew Zakuro called out, Mew Pudding nodded, swirling the Pudding Ring around her wrist.

"Ribbon Pudding Coin!" She created a glowing, yellow disk below her feet as she began to fall through the air. Her foot slammed onto the Pudding Coin, the heat was strong but Mew Pudding knew that it was the least of her problems when the Pudding Coin, with her added power, slammed right on top of the Armoured Para Paban's head, causing its face to slam painfully onto the concrete. They heard a crack, smiling however as Mew Pudding jumped off, the Pudding Coin disappearing, the helmet had only received a large crack and a slight fracture.

"Kami-sama, oh please, help us…" Mew Lettuce prayed as Mew Zakuro was sent flying as the Para Paban's tail swatted her away like a bettle.

Mew Ichigo swallowed hard as she gripped her Strawberry Bell when her muscles in her thighs jumped oddly, twitching somewhat, before calming down again. Mew Ichigo looked at her thighs when the Para Paban let another screech out, the sound ringing and throbbing the Mew Mew's heads. They all grasped her head, feeling the heat and the dull yet constant throb of a headache.

"What's wrong with us?" Mew Lettuce asked, her eyes flicking from Mew Zakuro, who was being pulled to her feet by the fluttering Mew Mint to Mew Ichigo.

"My head! It hurts!" Mew Ichigo groaned when Mew Lettuce's vision was clouded again, her head spinning a little. She stumbled forward, unspectingly into the path of the Para Paban.

"Mew Lettuce Onee-chan!" Mew Pudding yelled, springing up and sprinting to Mew Lettuce, pushing her and herself out of harms way. Mew Zakuro's head throbbed with pain, burning constantly with no sign of slowly when something clicked. She pressed on her Mew Pendent, directly contacting Keiichiro as the thought grew in her head more.

"Akasaka-san, we seem to be suffering strange headaches that have suddenly snuck up on us. Headaches and dizzy spells but we haven't done anything nor can smell and taste anything bad that may be making us sick but can you find anything out of the ordinary?" She requested.

"Have any of you had twitching limbs?" Keiichiro asked, his voice dropping.

"Yes," Mew Zakuro replied, "What is it? Do you know what it is?"

"Could it be a special Chimera Anima?" Hitomi sounded, she was obviously with the two, anxiously watching the footage that poured into the lab.

"There is a small chance of that… However, I think its something that can happen naturally, it seems familiar…" Ryou murmured when everything fell silent.

"GIRLS! The aliens are distracting you from their real plan!" Keiichiro yelled urgantly, his voice shuddering slightly but rough and commanding, snapping everyone to attention, "The Chimera Animas and Para Paban are wasting your precious energy and time, however they are speeding up their other plan at the same time! If we don't find the source of it, everyone, including yourselves will die of Carbon Monoxide Poisoning in less than 2 hours!"

* * *

**Zoey Hoshi:** Isn't nice to have a partner who is a biology/chemistry nerd? Prepare for intense scientific explanation and large-scale skirmishes next chapter.

**Ryou:** You know, this seems like another franchise but I can't put my finger on it…

**Zoey Hoshi:** Oh! Put away your Gears of Wa- I mean, your fears you whore….

**Ryou:** ….Lame…

**Zoey Hoshi:** (Wearing a bad pokerface) What?


	36. Insurmountable Struggle

**Author's Note: **Updates will be slow down even more as the department of education dumps more and more work on me until I finally slam into mid-term exams at the beginning of April but I'm 5 weeks away from more holidays. However, thanks to my poor immune system, I'm stuck in bed and able to pump out another chapter. I'm hoping that there's no mistakes, my head is killing me and I'm not totally with it.

**Ryou:** Still you find it important to write a chapter?

**Note:** I am Australian, and we have alternative ways of spelling certain words from America. Eg. Mum/Mom, -ise/-ize etc.

Every artist needs opinions and loves to listen to them. Please, leave behind constructive criticisms and/or thoughts on the chapters. If you think there is something wrong with the chapter, I implore you, please explain _why_ and even suggest options and ideas for me to improve the next chapter. Even though I love writing and this is truly just writing down a world that is playing out in my head, I do want to improve my skill and see that people enjoy themselves.

_**Thank you.**_

* * *

**Chapter 36: Insurmountable Struggle**

The Mews stood still, frozen, the city's peaceful composure crumbling away as Keiichiro's words echoed through their mind. They tried to wrap their heads around it, tried to grasp, to comprehend the situation that they and the rest of Tokyo had been plunged into.

"Carbon monoxide? What? What is that?" Mew Ichigo asked through her Mew Pendent. She opened her mouth, breathing in deeply, her nostrils flared to pick up any scent in the air but she could only pick up the earth, thick smell of the uprooted soil, the thin yet tickling aroma of pollinating trees with the harsh, sharp smell of burning metal faintly at the back of her throat, "I can't smell anything,"

"Listen to me girls!" Keiichiro pleaded, for a second, Mew Ichigo swore that his voice shook, "Carbon monoxide is a extremely toxic gas in high concentration, it is deadly since it is colourless, tasteless and odorless. Without specific detectors and equipment it is virtually impossible to pick up! Once you breathe it in, it reacts with the oxygen in your blood and the red blood cells. It makes your red blood cells useless, unable to absorb oxygen and turns your blood acidic. In a sense it is draining all of your oxygen from the inside out! We have to find what is making the carbon monoxide and fast girls!" Keiichiro explained.

"We are going to choke to death!" Mew Mint exclaimed as Mew Pudding covered her mouth in a desperate attempted to prevent more of the odorless gas from entering her body.

"What are the more severe symptoms Akasaka-san?" Mew Zakuro asked, she was still in a strong stance but her purple eyes were slightly contracted, her fur standing up as if a chilly breeze ran up her spine. There was a bit of a pause, an uncomfortable silence. A prick of fear rose in Mew Lettuce and Mew Ichigo's gut, wondering if something had happened to Keiichiro.

If he was gone, they would have no chance.

"Nausea, dizziness, fatigue, severe headache however…" He paused for a second, taking a breath to even himself out, "The more you are exposed to it, you're heart rate will be uneven and you will experience convulsions all over the body. You have higher chance of respiratory arrest as your lungs desperately try to oxygen and you perhaps… May start to hallucinate until you fall unconscious…" The Mews went silent, each heavy word dragging down their spirits as they grasped the idea that in less then an hour, they would die.

* * *

"However, oxygen and medication will reverse the whole process…" Keiichiro added as Ryou shifted in his chair.

"Why? Why did they attack back with such a plan suddenly? This plan would have taken months to plan and carry out by those two…" Hitomi murmured, "The Mews, they… They just defeated them!" Hitomi's voice grew as she paced around the lab, still in her café uniform. Keiichiro's head sunk lower, bring up a hand and slipping it under his thick rimmed glasses to rub his eyes. His blurry brown eyes flicked back up to the screens and screens of information and various news clips as the media covered the assault. Keiichiro shook his head, half towards Hitomi but also to show pity on the masses.

'They have no idea what is going on… At this rate, things will get worse…' He thought. He glanced over at Hitomi who was just pacing around, her eyes flicking to the door as if she was wondering about running out to help before she went back to pacing. His gaze swept over Ryou who was blank, looking forward as his expression was attempting to be unreadable but Keiichiro knew him to well.

Much to well.

Ryou's eyes were glued to the screens but his mind did not register anything around him. He bit down softly on his lip as his mind ran through hypotheses of what was happening, what had happened and what might possibly happen next for them.

'They tried to eliminate the Mews quietly, one by one while using Para Para as tools however we hacked into the radio network, we defeated every Chimera Anima they threw at us and the Mews are together, able to watch each other's backs. So have they turned desperate? We have only seen two of them so far,' He thought back to the name that was carved into the strange communication device, 'Keeki… Was she in charge of the Mews? Of their base? Lettuce said that she let them out… What was her motive? What was her role…? Not to mention… Where is she now?'

Ryou's thoughts were interrupted as a swelling light enveloped Hitomi. Ryou frowned as Seeker Hitomi appeared before them. Ryou stood up, leaping almost to block the doorway.

"We don't need more of us to be in danger," Ryou bluntly stated. Seeker Hitomi have him an intense stare, her strange eyes burning him.

"You haven't stopped me before… You let me go to the Zoo that day, you let me go and find the Mews when they were captured. What is so different right now?" She asked him sternly. Ryou lowered his shoulders and head, his bright blue eyes staring her back.

"Because those times were nothing like this, you see that!" He threw his arms around the room, the screens of information and news reports under his hands, "That is what is happening, you have no way to protect yourself and once you leave the lower levels of this Café, you will be breathing in carbon monoxide," Ryou said, "You will be risking your life,"

"I knew that from the day I agreed to help you! You think I would just help you find Mews and then hang back here and not do anything? You have been sacrificing everything! You even sacrificed your humanity!" The Seeker pointed out.

"Stop it," Keiichiro called out, pulling his 'I'm the mature adult here' card out on them, "Arguing won't solve anything! Seeker Hitomi, if you wander around, without an attack to defend yourself, you will be putting more pressure on the Mews. Ryou… Help me with this please," Keiichiro's voice softened up as the blonde teenagers stopped bickering to look at him, "Seeker, see if you can see anything through television screens… The city is totally covered by film crews, see if your powers work…" Ryou, without another word sat back down in his chair, his blonde bangs settling over his eyes has he watched the screens. Seeker Hitomi kept her place, for a second, Keiichiro wondered if she was just going to ignore his words and storm out anyway but she relaxed, her arms dropping to her sides as she walked over to them, her eyes glancing over the screens.

"Yes… They do work… I can see auras of living things through the footage…" Seeker Hitomi mumbled.

"See if you can find anything strange…" Keiichiro asked her, "Anything out of the ordinary,"

"Apart from everything happening? Okay," She replied dryly. Keiichiro hoped that this task would keep her occupied while he tried to source the carbon monoxide.

'She has an amazing ability, its just her downfall that she so independent and rash. Before it was okay, rouge Chimera Animas and she could be easily protected but now we have aliens, trained warriors… What is their purpose?' He thought to himself when a news flash appeared on a few of the television screens.

"This has just come in, strange monsters, similar to the ones in Aquis-Tokyo have appeared all over Aquisfera!" A male reporter blared through the screen, trying to keep his composure as mobile phone footage of various Chimera Anima appeared and by the architecture, the language and the climate, they knew it wasn't Aquis-Tokyo but many other countries.

"What!" Seeker Hitomi gripped the back of Ryou's chair, flinging her body forward to the screen. Ryou moved his head to avoid her small bust, grimacing a little at the screens, "That… That can't be possible!"

"No… I thought this would happen eventually…" Ryou hissed as he watched the assault in the Southern Hemisphere, beyond the International Date Line. The whole planet, not just Tokyo, was under full assault.

"How are they attacking other cities on the other side of the planet? There is only t-"

"How do you know how many of them are here?" Ryou cut into Seeker Hitomi's sentence. She looked at him, panic scribbled all over her face.

"W-We have only seen-"

"Seen. We have only seen. Who knows how many they are,"

"But I've only picked u-"

"This is a totally difference race to us. They have evolved differently than us. They live and think differently. It is clear, after all, they have attacked us instead of being diplomatic," Ryou mumbled, "Who knows how many are on our planet now…"

"So what do we do? We can't fly around the world and solve all their problems. We aren't miracle workers. We aren't goddesses. We can't protect every patch of land of this planet!" Seeker Hitomi hissed.

"I know that!" Ryou snapped, "You aren't Tokyo Mew Mew for no reason. Don't worry about them, the rest of the world will be fine. We have to worry about Tokyo first," Ryou pointed out.

"How? How will they be fine?" She asked, confusion and anger stirring in her strawberry and green mint gaze.

"Seeker Hitomi," Keiichiro stepped in again, turning back to look her in the eye, "I give you our word, they will be fine. Trust us," Keiichiro smiled and it hit her that they were hiding something but as Ryou pointed out earlier, they couldn't sit still. She nodded, just accepting it like a small child before going back to her job. The Seeker's eyes then caught something, it zoomed by in a second but it flared up, screaming out to her. It gave her a sudden chill, as if death itself had his bone-cold grasp around her throat, choking her, absorbing her life.

"THERE! IN THE PARK!" She yelled, "THE CHERRY BLOSSOM TREE!"

* * *

"So, tell me why I have to wear this annoying thing?" Kish hissed, pointing to a strange green coloured metal chip that clung near the back of his teeth and to a matching one on his wrist. His finger slid over it, the strange slimy texture of it made his lips paused together in slight disgust, "I hate it when you keep things from me you know?".

"Okay, a few days ago I heard from home that they were going to send your brothers down here," Sasujiro started, resting his long rifle against his shoulder. Kish smiled at this before looking up at the sky, knowing that in mere seconds, Pie and Tart would finally be with him again.

'And I swear that I'll never let anything happen to them…' He thought to himself.

"I heard that Tart is great at manipulating Para Para to infest plants," Sasujiro smirked. Kish froze at this statement, slammed with pride and amazement for his little brother, "So I gave it a try and it worked to some extent… Instead of turning into a Chimera Anima, it did something different. It became a normal parasite to the tree. You probably know that plants use photosynthesis, turning carbon dioxide into oxygen, pumping it out for animals to breathe but do you know that plants need a slight fraction of the oxygen? Only pumping out what they don't need,"

"I feel like I'm being taught except my mind finds the idea of attack humans more interesting… Blame it on my upbringing," Kish smirked as he watched the Para Paban causing chaos, crushing the fleeing civilians like a bully playing a vengeful god with ants.

"Anyway," Sasujiro coughed, trying to get Kish's attention. The older Kaerufan was at least glad that Kish's attitude was starting to peel through the layers of grief, "The Para Para needs oxygen, so it is taking the tree's oxygen instead, forcing it to take in more and more carbon dioxide to get the nutrients it needs. The Para Para then uses the tree's available nutrients but since the Para Para didn't infuse properly, it is producing carbon monoxide,"

"So you are poisoning everyone here, why isn't it affecting us?"

"That chip is covered in small photosynthetic bacteria, in short, it is feeding us oxygen to combat the carbon monoxide poisoning," Sasujiro said as Kish stared at the little green chip in wonder and disgust.

"So in short, you screwed up, its pumping out toxic gas instead of becoming a proper Chimera Anima and you smothered a clip in bacteria that could give me a disease?"

"It is harmless," Sasujiro sternly moaned, "Or would you rather breathe in the toxic gas?"

"Tough choice," Kish laughed.

"Kish, long time no see," A voice cheered from behind the two. Kish spun around to see Pie and Tart teleport behind them. Tart smirked as he bounded over, dressed in thin, puffy, dark blue shorts with long ribbons whipping around with his bouncing gait. His small, skinny frame was extremely obvious in his small red, sleeveless shirt with a strange split up the middle, as if he ripped it open himself. Kish didn't doubt that since he was comfortable at home, adapted to the cold temperatures while it was normal temperatures here. Pie still had the grating serious expression on his face, still wearing his purple vest and long pants, covering up his midriff and his lower arms with thin material. As they approached, Kish noticed a strange metal objects clipped around their ears. Pie bowed to Sasujiro, who returned the formal greeting.

"These are the your own Transmission Information Scanners, T.I.S for short," Pie said, pulling the strange ear device and a metal ring from his pocket. Kish and Sasujiro observed the strange devices as they put them on. The ring slipped around their middle finger and had a strange purple circle while the ear piece clipped in perfectly, "The ring is in control of the teleportation. By pressing the circle with your finger, it reads your fingerprint and then teleports you to your destination. The ear piece will feed you information in and out to our comrades around this planet,"

"Amazing, its good to have another intelligent Kaerufan to talk to," Sasujiro said and exchanged some of the Photosynthetic Chips and the Anti-G anklets, "You know our plan right?" Sasujiro asked the two as they equipped themselves. Kish sighed, frowning at the boring formalities as he floated up to watch the city below them. Humans fled for their lives, vehicles tried to grip the road as they screeched around corners as witnesses clung desperately to their phones, filming the event.

"So, these are humans?" Tart asked as he floated beside Kish, enjoying the Anti-G anklets. Kish lazed back, it had been over half an hour yet he hadn't seen Mew Ichigo. He frowned as his thoughts from earlier popped into his head. He just scoped out the surrounding area, trying to get in the moment when a small speck of pink ran across the park.

"Hey! They are here! The Mew Mews are heading towards the park! Is that where your tree is?" Kish called out.

"Yes, it's there. Damn, let's go and intercept. We just have to stall them for around two hours," Sasujiro called out when a strange, speeding helicopter swirled over them, circling them like a hungry vulture.

"What's that?" Tart asked, watching it curiously. Pie observed the helicopter, it was large, not just in size but it appeared to have thick, reinforced metal 'armour'. Kish watched it when hot streaks of air rippled by his body, something like a semi-molten rock grazing his hip before it continued through the air until it dug into the roof of the building.

"It's this planet's army, my educated guess is that they have identified us as an invading species and are now reacting with violent hostility," Pie explained. Kish looked at the red blooming burn mark on his hip, it throbbed sickly, making his fingers claw into his palms.

"Just say that we are under attack and to retreat!" Kish hissed at him.

"Yeah you moron!" Tart stuck out his tongue when another clip of ammunition was fired at them. A bullet smacked into Sasujiro's rifle, ripping it from his grasp. He and Pie dodged the raining bullets as the endless whirl of the helicopter intensified. Tart spun around to see another armoured helicopter approaching them.

"Kish! Head to the tree! I'll back you up Kish! Sasujiro commanded.

"Tart and I will scope out the area and the remaining Chimera Animas," Pie replied and then his body turned into wisps of purple light before disappearing. The rest of them quickly dissipated, leaving the two helicopters confused, searching the area.

* * *

"Masaya! Masaya! Where are you? Please! Come to the south evacuation!" A distressed voice blurted out of Masaya's mobile phone. He watched the chaos unfold from the sidewalk, ignoring the rough bumps as panicked people slammed against him, trying to get home, trying to get to a safe zone or just plain running away from the threat.

"Don't worry, I'll get to one," Masaya replied, surprisingly calm in the midst of chaos.

"Masaya! Listen to me! Please!" The woman pleaded on the phone.

"Mum, I'll be fine! Trust me!" Masaya yelled back as the volume around him rose, booming with a loud screech. Masaya shut the phone off, stumbling off the sidewalk, allowing people to rush by as a large rat Chimera Anima skidded to a stop, snarling at the running people. Masaya stopped, frozen as the familiar image of a drooling, idiotic monster, its two yellow eyes flicking around the panicked bugs that swarmed away from him. The way his eyes sparked, lighting up as it watched, it reminded Masaya of his dog Rau as he watched birds. Each flap of their wings, ruffle of feathers excited Rau, her tail wagging with excitement.

'Where have I seen that before?' He thought to himself, backing into the safety of the park as the large, icy blue eyes opened on its forehead, the pupil contracting to the size of a pinpoint. At that moment a foggy memory peeled away, revealing itself. He could see Ichigo in front of him, that common yet beautiful blush on her cheeks but something didn't feel right, she seemed preoccupied, troubled. Just behind her, seemingly appearing from nothing but thin air, that same monster appeared behind her.

Then everything went blank.

Masaya took a few more steps back, overwhelmed with the feeling of déjà vu. He spun around, looking for a long branch, anything to arm himself with encase the idiotic monster were to find him. His body trembled with anxiety as his movements began flighty, biting on his lip. Without a weapon to defend himself, he felt naked and helpless.

'Wait… Why am I looking for something to defend myself? I'm not going to fight this thing am I? I should just be getting to a evac…' He told himself as a strange explosion of pain erupted inside of him. His arms wrapped around his stomach, fingers digging into his skin to anchor it down while pain roared, fighitng its way to the surface. The pain ripped up to his lungs, two hot claws sinking into them as he fell to the ground. He clenched his teeth to prevent spluttered groans from escaping. It felt like something was trying to surface, to rip him apart. He tensed himself up, fighting back however he then felt a strange feeling, like someone was watching him intensely. That seemed to subdue the outbreak of pain inside of him, calming the beast inside of him in seconds. Masaya lay on the grass, trembling from the aftershocks of this 'attack', his breathing harsh and deep.

"Are you okay?" A voice of a young boy asked him, stopping Masaya in his tracks. He looked up to find a little young, red-headed boy staring at him. Masaya gave him a look of disbelief, after this attack hit the city, not one person had spoke, nor paid any attention to others. The boy was calm, extremely calm to the point that it was creepy.

"Yes," Masaya replied, standing up and resting his hand on the little boy's shoulder, "We have to find an evacuation zone fast, we aren't safe here," Masaya explained as he tried to look for the boy's parents however the boy just walked by him, running deeper into the park, "Wait! Wait up! You're going the wrong way!" however the boy took no notice, disappearing in the maze of trees and shrubs. Masaya bit his lip, his mind pumping out all the options he could take.

'I don't really have to look after the boy… He isn't my problem and having to look after him will put us both in danger but I can't just abandon a little kid like that!' with those few words he took after the kid, catching up to him quickly. The boy had made his way back to the large cherry blossom tree that he was at a few hours ago. Masaya walked up to the boy, a fly attracted to a bright light, staring at the tree.

"Do you see it…?" He boy asked, looking around wildly. Masaya then felt the atmosphere change, shift from the chaotic pace.

"I'm surprised, you two haven't collapsed yet…" Kish stated as he floated down behind them. Masaya paused, feeling Kish draw his Dragon Swords up his spine, spreading the feeling of dread and a chill of ice across his body, "I think its time for you to sleep forever…" Kish hissed.

* * *

"I can't believe it! I thought it was just a strange thing…" Mew Ichigo puffed as she ran through the dark and isolated park. Mew Ichigo's feline-like pupils expanded to absorb the poor moonlight. She propelled herself over the undergrowth, dodging each tree perfectly when her left calf muscle twitched, as if a puppet master pulled a string that was anchored into her muscle tissue. She jolted to a stop, wavering and stumbling to the side as the throbbing and pulsating muscle started to slow down. Mew Ichigo looked down in horror before shaking her head.

'We are at the place this stuff is being made… Once we stop it, we'll be able to breathe in oxygen and we'll be all better then…' She told herself although her words could not calm down her heart that hammered in her ears. She let out a wide and loud yawn, her body trying to expel the excess carbon dioxide in her body, screaming for oxygen, 'I wonder how much more time I have left?' She wondered to herself but to her surprise, it wasn't such deal. It wasn't the worst thing that echoed in her mind, 'What's wrong with me?'

"Wait up, I can't see so well in the dark," Seeker Hitomi huffed from behind as she caught up. She nudged Mew Ichigo on the shoulder, trying to push her along, "We have to keep going, we are running out of time," She said, Mew Ichigo gave her ears a flick in response, the slightest movement to her head sending the gripping headache into overdrive, "I'm learning that anything strange now is something caused by them," She laughed dryly.

"You're taking this pretty well…" Mew Ichigo pointed out.

"No, I'm not…" Seeker Hitomi replied. "Believe me… It's on my mind but right now… I jus-" The Seeker paused, "We are here but… Kish is here too!" She said. Her words instantly created a deep growl in Mew Ichigo's throat and she pushed forward, her ears flattening and lowering her body as she sprinted to the Cherry Blossom tree, "Wait!"

Mew Ichigo ignored her, sprinting forward into the clearing, the large cherry blossom tree's branches sprawling above her.

"Hello my little cute kitten… It took you a while to find Sasujiro's mistake," Kish chuckled, flipping his Dragon Swords playfully yet expertly in his wrists as he turned to face her. Mew Ichigo froze as she found Masaya kneeling on the ground, protectively clutching a small child in his arms. He slowly moved back, the child glaring at Kish. Masaya's brown eyes tore away from Kish and landed on Mew Ichigo's large pink eyes, his expression changing.

"Shall I finish off the dirt first?" Kish's smile intensified as it landed on Masaya and the child. He turned his sais around, the blade staring down the two humans. The child spun around, hiding from the blade as Masaya glared at Kish, grunting in hatred.

Before Kish could charge forward to attack the two humans, Mew Ichigo's rage exploded, adrenaline and other strange chemical reactions taking place.

She felt like she was made of nothing but air, moving weightlessly and effortlessly as she charged forward, her eyes locking onto her target as her left foot slid over the grass. Her boot dug into the ground, anchoring her as she swung her right leg under her and all of her strength. Bracing every tissue in her body. Springing her leg up with lightning speed, kicked Kish's groin. Kish clutched his precious jewels as pain spiked, soared, his body crouched over, balling up to protect his sensitive area from anymore pain. His blood was on fire, a burning inferno on his balls that throbbed, twisted and bawled in agony. However he knew that he was extremely vulnerable, any man knew that. He floated up into the air so he could safely seethe in torturous pain.

"Dirt? Are you talking about yourself? I'll be happy to finish you off!" Mew Ichigo jeered as she crouched, her body rocking back and forth. She summoned her Strawberry Bell and held it in her mouth, long canines locking it into place. Her body curled up, preparing her as Kish tensed up his body, hissing in pain in the air. Mew Ichigo jumped, springing up into the air and her hand clasped around Kish's ankle. He jolted into the present, feeling her fingernails turning into unsheathed claws, tearing at his brown boots. She then slammed him down to the ground, throwing her pray to the ground. Kish's back slammed into the ground but the grass and soft earth didn't hurt him as much as concrete would have. Mew Ichigo spat out her Strawberry Bell, taking it in hand and as her legs braced her body for a landing. As soon as her feet slammed into the ground she aimed.

"RIBBON STRAWBERRY CHECK!" She yowled with a wild tone and blasted Kish with the pink coloured beam. It dug into the ground, creating a furrow as it pushed Kish out of the clearing and into the trees.

"That was incredible! That was amazing!" Seeker Hitomi cheered, watching the fight like a child watching a morning cartoon. She ran up to Mew Ichigo, pulling her into a tight hug, her grip almost suffocating as Mew Ichigo trembled with adrenaline. Her cheeks quivered as she smiled triumphantly like she just came back from winning a game, proud at her achievement. That's when her large eyes fell on Masaya, who was observing everything, staring directly at Mew Ichigo. She jumped at little, shocked at her sudden actions before she put on the smile.

'No one recognised me from the television show, so I'm safe,' She thought to herself. She and the Seeker ran over to them, however Masaya tensed a little, making them approach them slowly.

"We are here to help you, you should get out of here and get to an evac zone…" Mew Ichigo smiled professionally. Masaya stared at her blankly as Seeker Hitomi smiled, kneeling down to look at the little boy, trying to calm him down and distract him.

"Don't worry, he is gone now, you-" She stopped as the red-headed boy squirmed out of Masaya's arms. He then spun around to look her in the eyes, giving her an amazed and shocked glance, which she could only return. Mew Ichigo froze, noticing how Hitomi's red and green eyes fell on the boy's red and green eyes.

* * *

"What… What was that?" Kish asked himself as he stumbled to his feet, bruised and battered by Mew Ichigo's sudden outburst. He floated up, starting to make his way back to the cherry blossom tree. He smiled, preparing his counter attack. His skinny frame rocked with excitement, with sheer joy. This was better than training, better than dueling with others. He could feel the urgency in her quick movements, the anger in her brute strength and her animalistic movement, cat-like groans and hisses. Kish chuckled like a teenager that just got a kill streak on a video game.

"This is amazing! Truly amazing! She has more strength than I thought!" She chuckled in hysterics. He used the cover of the tree's canopy to stealthy approach them. His eyes fell of Mew Ichigo as she helped Masaya to his feet, showing the two the way to the closest evacuation zone. Kish's smile disappeared, clenching his fists as he watched them. He was having so much fun with the two, the way they pulsated with fear, glared him down as he played around with his blades. Kish knew it was no matter though, since they would all have to be feeling the toll of the carbon monoxide. It would be only a matter of time before they all fell down, unconscious, never to breathe again. He watched Mew Ichigo, she was clearly feeling the effects. Her shoulders rocked with her abnormal breath and every now and then she rubbed her growing headache but then he noticed something else. She was smiling, through the pain she was suffering she was smiling shyly, honestly at Masaya. Kish raised his eyebrows, never seeing that side of the pink Mew Mew. He crept forward more, she flicked her ears, her tail moving to ring its bell in response to a question of his before she blushed.

It clicked.

It made sense.

'This human means something to her… He is precious to her…'

* * *

"What… What are they doing?" Keeki asked aloud as she watched the chaos below unfold, "Don't they know the consequences of such a move?" Paru nuzzled into her neck more, diving into her long, white locks, away from danger. She stood up, running over the roof to scan the city.

'I wonder, Tokyo Mew Mew… Are you protecting everything? All life and this planet or are you just like them…?' Her eyes landed on a large, armoured truck that skidded to a stop. The back opened up to reveal a few soldiers that jumped out, herding people into the safety of the vehicle. Keeki watched them, observing the uniform, the symbols and the colour scheme that was painted all over the vehicle and their uniform. As quickly as the truck appeared, it roared to life and sped down the street, out of site to a safe zone. She slid down from the sloped roof, jumping onto a nearby balcony before continuing down the blocks, slipping in and out of shadows. She jumped onto a rusty ladder and pushed herself unto another flat roof. She stopped for a second, her lungs heaving when her muscles twitched, throbbing uncontrollably. She sat down, staring at the twitching under her skin, as if a cockroach squirmed around, spreading sickness as its body slid through her blood. She smacked her leg and pressed a finger gently down on her eyelid.

'This can't a natural sickness I've picked up, I haven't been feeling unwell… Could it be something Sasujiro planned?" She wondered as the strange symptoms left as quickly as they appeared. She stood up, rubbing her forehead as she scanned the city again. Her eyes then picked up a flash of yellow. She ran forward to the edge of the building, her eyes landing on Mew Pudding. Keeki looked around, trying to find what the Mew mew could be aiming for or heading towards.

As she scoped the area, her golden gaze then flicked over a familiar sight, making her pause. Hidden by a satellite dish on the next roof was Sasujiro, his hair sprawling on the ground and his shoulders, hiding his face as he aimed his rifle towards Mew Pudding. He looked into the scope, following Mew Pudding every movement, he was frozen, his finger resting on the trigger as he lined up the perfect shot.

"_Thank you for your kindness…"_ Lettuce's word echoed in her head as she questioned saving them.

'Why did I save them? What if it dooms us? No! We are in the wrong, they weren't doing anything and we attacked them but then… they might have… Argh! What they were doing wasn't right… I knew that… It isn't!' Keeki shook her head. She knew that she should just lay low, not do anything if she wanted to continue her research. She wasn't restricted, she was independently finding out the truth but the green Mew Mew's words came into her head. She couldn't keep her mouth shut, she could stand by and watch the world fall around her. She dropped down onto windowsills, her feet scrambling to get a foothold on anything to break her fall until she dropped down on to the sidewalk. She sprinted out onto the street, her heart hammering in her throat. Mew Pudding felt, she could hear and sense that someone was running after her. She stopped, spinning around to see a hooded figure running toward her. She was unsure of her, trying to identify if it was a threat.

Yet, it was perfect for Sasujiro.

She was a sitting duck now.

"DON'T STOP!" Keeki yelled out at the Mew. Keeki jumped forward, sliding in front of Mew Pudding, her body covering the shot. She stopped still yet it felt like her body was crawling, moving uncontrollably with uncertainty. Her body shivered with her powerful heartbeat as her mind raced, repetitively asking herself why she acted on pure instinct. She then pulled back her hood with a light, shaking hand, revealing herself to Sasujiro as she protected Mew Pudding. Sasujiro froze, his wide red eyes on Keeki. He hissed in disbelief as he heaved himself up, staring down at the girl he presumed was dead.

"You protected Mew Pudding? Why na no da?" Mew Pudding asked, her expression full of confusion until a smile tugged at her lips.

"I'm asking myself that question honestly…" Keeki replied, Paru clicked, hiding himself more as he trembled in fear.

"You're really a good guy aren't you na no da!" Mew Pudding cheered as Sasujiro jumped off the roof, gracefully floating down to the ground due to his Anti-G anklets.

"Go! Or he will get you!" Keeki hissed quietly. Mew Pudding's smile dropped before her gaze fell on the long-haired, blood red eyed Sasujiro. She nodded, bowing in gratitude before sprinting away. Keeki dropped her arms and closed the gap between her and Sasujiro, swallowing her nervousness.

"I thought you were dead…" Sasujiro said, dropping his gun to the ground as he observed Keeki. She was surprised by his reaction, circling her like a parent would after their child got in a fight but it was slightly aggressive, "Kish was very upset…" He said as he came to a stop, "What happened?"

"Why have you done this? A full out attack? We cannot study them now, they will hunt us all down!" Keeki started, her eyes wide as her body still trembled.

"Did humans find the base?" Sasujiro asked, his face made of stone as Keeki blinked, "Is that why you weren't there?"

"No…" Keeki replied, "I'll explai-"

"Lord Furaro said that you have a soft heart, you jump to conclusions and are extremely smart," Sasujiro reported with a deadpan voice. Before he took another breath, his palm slapped Keeki across the cheek. It felt like a whip, without warning and cracked over her skin, leaving behind a red mark. Keeki stood still, fear creeping up her spine as her hand softly covered her cheek as her eyes grew glassy, "He said that you are too smart, too perceptive and a danger to this mission…" He continued as he raised his hand. The ground trembled, the atmosphere growing thick and dense. It was murderous. Horrible and it was killing Keeki. A shriek pierced through the air, revealing an armoured Para Paban. Keeki took a step back, Paru shivering against her as it roared and hissed before approaching Sasujiro, it's master.

"What…" Keeki stumbled back more as the beast approached her, her feet tripping over a large crack in the ground. Sasujiro turned his back on her, kicking up his gun and started to walk away.

"I'm sorry but this its Lord Furaro's orders…" Sasujiro reported, teleporting away as the Para Paban turned on her, its mouth opening to let out a hot breath. Keeki snapped her hand over her nose as she smelt smoke, burning flesh and death.

_This was a death sentence._

* * *

**ZoeyHoshi:** It took my boyfriend and I ages to figure out the chemistry and the biology behind the tree and the infection. It took a while but we were so proud at the result. Since I was giving a realistic and biological explanation for The Mew Project, I knew that all the large events that happen, the tree, the moth, the ocean bloom, the dome etc. all have to have a realistic reasoning.

**Hitomi:** You're not commenting on the cliffhanger?

**ZoeyHoshi:** … I can get so much stuff done when I have a flu, I can write like a boss =^.^=


	37. Declaration

**Author's Note: **Updating within a week! Oh mah bloody god, yes I am. The excitement of a rainy summer and flooded roads and bridges is over and I'm three weeks away from mid-course exams. After this, we have two more chapters, let's try to get them done!

**Note:** I am Australian, and we have alternative ways of spelling certain words from America. Eg. Mum/Mom, -ise/-ize etc.

Every artist needs opinions and loves to listen to them. Please, leave behind constructive criticisms and/or thoughts on the chapters. If you think there is something wrong with the chapter, I implore you, please explain _why_ and even suggest options and ideas for me to improve the next chapter. Even though I love writing and this is truly just writing down a world that is playing out in my head, I do want to improve my skill and see that people enjoy themselves.

_**Thank you.**_

* * *

**Chapter 37: Declaration**

There wasn't a soul near the park, the streets barren, the distant sirens and whirling of helicopters filled the night sky. Mew Lettuce was unnerved by the image. The lone two or three pieces of paper, litter fluttering at a snail pace down the empty road. The traffic lights that continued to flicker, commanding the non-existing vehicles. It was pulled from a post-apocalyptic film. Mew Lettuce's hands held her Lettuce Castanets, prepared to attack any Chimera Anima that approached the park. She spun around, staring into the gloomy park.

'Mew Ichigo, I hope you're alright…'. A shriek of a Chimera Anima cut her off, kicking her into gear. She turned back around to see a large rat Chimera Anima, walking through the empty streets, stalking for prey. Mew Lettuce ran forward, preparing to intercept it.

"You won't find anyone to harm here!" Mew Lettuce yelled, "They are all safe from you, Ribbon Lettuce Rush!" She threw the green water razors at the Chimera Anima. She landed a hit, pushing the creature back. It shook its head from side to side, its mouth open in a hiss as it felt the Lettuce Rush slam into his side. To the Chimera Anima, the Lettuce Rush felt like the fury of a machine gun, each razor burning through his flesh. The Para Para inside squirmed, desperate to keep control of its walking fortress. Once the powerful light made the host strong and burned at the Para Para's sensitive flesh, he would be flushed out. His natural instincts told him to leech of his host for as long as possible and Mew Lettuce was his one and only danger.

The Chimera Rat hissed, its large eye contracting and its muscles pushed its immense, hulky body forward as Mew Lettuce prepared another attack. She casted a Lettuce Shaft at its legs to unbalance it however the icy blue eye watched her movements and shifted out of the way. The Chimera Anima pounced, its giant, hairless paws stretched out. Mew Lettuce quickly created a Lettuce Shaft, jumping into the column of water as the large claws entered the Lettuce Shaft, hissing as the Green Mew Mew escaped into the park. Mew Lettuce cringed, nerves tickling as she felt her legs meld together, her skin and muscles changing as her legs turned into a porpoise tail. She ripped herself from the Lettuce Shaft, aiming for the large lake. She knew that her legs would shift back in under a minute once she left the water but she was part porpoise.

Once she entered the lake, the battle was over.

She held her breath as she entered the water, a slight shiver tickling her skin as the cool water gripped her body. The Chimera Anima followed her, stopping at the water's edge to peer into it. It was obvious that its icy blue eye was its weak spot, sitting on its forehead like a dartboard. She spun herself, amazed at how easily she could control herself.

Then something popped into her head, making her exhale half of her air.

She was afraid of water and yet she willingly dived into it.

She froze up, her muscles contracting as her human fear swarmed her body, overtaking her porpoise DNA. Her lungs screamed for air, her body quickly milking every bit of oxygen from her. However, once she got to the surface, a furious Chimera Anima would be facing her, screaming and roaring.

'I'm finished… How can we win? Even if I take a breath of air, carbon monoxide will be welcoming me. Everyone, everything is breathing it in. Everyone, everyone is going to die…' Her doubt and fear spoke to her, her body started to loose energy as its oxygen was depleted quickly, carbon monoxide storming her body. Her wrist and upper left arm started to twitch, throbbing uncontrollably. She opened her hand, letting her Lettuce Castanet sink down to the bottom of the lake. 'Why did I think I could win?' Her fear asked her, her green hair brushed against her cheek, floating in the water. She closed her eyes as her dark depression started to talk to her, "Everyone is going to die… Why did I think I could win?'

'My family… Are they suffering right now?' She asked herself, opening her eyes slightly. The moonlight was filtering down through the surface of the water, giving the water a blue glowing light, 'They are probably so worried about me, why did I leave them? It was to work at Café Mew Mew…' Her heart throbbed as she talked to herself internally. Her eyes opened up more, she could see the Chimera Anima as it started to lose interest in chasing Mew Lettuce. She fisted her empty hand, only just registering that she lost one of her Lettuce Castanets. She looked around, her vision clouding at the edges as she started to lose grip of herself. She pushed to the bottom of the lake, the darkness surrounding her. She stretched out her hand, feeling for the bottom of the lake when she reached a thick layer of heavy mud. She quivered at the feeling, shifting around the thick, layers of undisturbed silt and mud until her fingers felt the glass heart of the Lettuce Castanet.

'I left my family to be with the others so I could protect them. Right now my freinds are trying everything to save everyone, to save this whole planet…. They are scared, they are terrified but still, they fight,' She shook the muddy Lettuce Castanet as best as she could underwater and looked up to the surface. 'My family… They are terrified and they are dying! My friends are risking everything! I can't die like this and neither will any other innocent souls!' She told herself, beating down her fear as she let her porpoise DNA kick into gear.

She held on tightly to her Lettuce Castanets and with her left over strength, she used her tail to propel her through the water. She was amazed at her own strength and how it came from nothing. She was drowning, she was dying but she still had this power from her wish to protect and fight alongside her friends, 'This is a power from the Mew Project?' She asked herself as she threw herself out of the water, the cold night air wrapping around her. The eruption of water got the immediate attention of the Chimera Rat, watching Mew Lettuce as she aimed for the wide, blue eye.

"Ribbon Lettuce Rush!" She yelled, the attack landing around the forehead, hitting the eye directly. It shrieked as the heat overflowed into the host rat's body, powering up its immune system. The Para Para panicked as the immune system and the Mew Mew's power attacked him and flushed him out. Mew Lettuce watched the rat's body returning to normal smiling jubilantly at the successful attack. She fell back into the water, smiling while she swam back to the surface. She looked around, checking for any more enemies before she approached the shore. If she got caught while changing back by a Chimera Anima, she would be in big trouble since she was alone. She dragged herself up on the shore, her arms pulling her heavy and powerful tail out of the water. She felt like a beached whale, trying to pull herself across the grass with her upper body straining, every bit of her energy in her upper arms to push herself. She felt her tail in the cold air, it felt strange but nice on her skin and she collapsed, her energy spent. She closed her eyes for a second as she took deep breaths, trying to get oxygen however her brain knew it was pointless. Her arms quivered in response, only making her wonder how much time was left.

"Mew Ichigo… Please be okay…" She rasped, wondering how her friend was doing. She drifted on the boarder of unconsciousness as the burst of energy drained away, leaving her with nothing. She was totally oblivious to the danger that was approaching her.

* * *

Alto ran through the park, his paws carrying his little body as fast as they could. His blue eyes searched the area for the Mew Mews and any Chimera Animas. He stopped, skidding to a stop nearby his Maple tree as he scoped the area once more. He sat down, hunched over as he caught his breath.

'Mew Ichigo and Seeker Hitomi went to the Cherry Blossom tree… It's taking them a while to deal with it…' With this once statement his brain kicked into over drive, thinking up possible situations, 'There must be Chimera Animas guarding it. No, it could be the aliens themselves! Mew Ichigo could be in trouble' He jumped up, preparing to run there before he stopped himself, 'No… No… What could I do? Anyway, she has company with her so she should be okay. I can't let the mother's DNA clash with me. She will be okay. I trust her abilities. We haven't heard from the others, I know that Mew Pudding was patrolling the area, cleaning out the Para Para… Mew Zakuro and Mew Mint went off together… I wonder what they are up to? Mew Lettuce was guarding the park wasn't she? I might check on her first then…' He jumped up, cringing a little as his vision blurred over, blood rushing around his body. He was horrendously amazed at how carbon monoxide affected him and how quickly it had entered his body. He wondered if the carbon monoxide effected cats more quickly, 'If I change back, will be undo some of it? Or will it stay the same?' He asked himself before he pushed himself forward, running towards the lake.

He reached it quickly, slowing into a trot as the lake came into view. He stopped, leaping into a tree. His claws dug into it, securing him as he pulled himself into the lowest tree branch quickly. From his high point, he scanned to find Mew Lettuce on the ground. His heart lurched at the sight of her facedown on the grass, not moving. It felt like his stomach fell out of the tree, plunging down into regret and fear. He jumped up, ready to run over to her to check as the worst scenario flashed in his mind.

'She's dead. Oh god. Her body will cold. Lifeless. She's never open her pretty eyes again. She's dead and it's all my fault!'

He was about to jump down when he heard footsteps. He peered down from the safety of his branch to see an adult figure walking through the park all alone. Alto narrowed his eyes as he watched him, confused. After all, who would be still here? Why wasn't he panicked since the world was under attack? He watched the peculiar person when the pale moonlight fell on him. When Alto's gaze fell on large, elf-like ears, many emotions exploded inside of him. His fur fluffed up, making him look larger, more threatening and his tail and ears flattened.

The Kaerufan's yellow eyes scanned around before settling on Mew Lettuce, his thick, combat boot crunching over the ground. His attire made Alto all the more nervous, black leather with strange arrow symbols covering it. Alto hissed and used a large flick of raspberry coloured hair that fell over his face as a target. He crouched, waving his body back and forth before he sprung off the branch. The thin branch waved, the newly grown leaves rustling about wildly. This made the black clad Kaerufan spin around, his harsh, sharp yellow eyes glaring at whatever was following him to see a hissing, furious cat flying towards his face. Alto unsheathed his claws, aiming them for his face as he let out a furious yowl.

Mew Lettuce's eyes flew open, raising her head to see a gray-blue cat flying at a Kaerufan. She flopping around, her legs almost formed back as her hands searched for her Lettuce Castanets. Her vision was dark, swirling around and her breathing was deep and harsh. Alto's head was full of anger, blurring his human mind. It yowled, cursing the man in front of him. He felt his claws sink into his flesh, tearing and ripping as he felt the hot blood ooze under his claws, seeping between his toes as he tore by the Kaerufan. He felt his claws hook under something, soft and warm as he wrenched it out, tore through it like butter. He landed on the ground, grass and dirt particles sticking to his gory paws. Mew Lettuce could smell blood and she could hear a victorious yowl from Alto as he bounded away and towards Mew Lettuce. She lifted her head, looking up at the Kaerufan as he let out a gut-wrenching roar, full of pain. His large hands held and covered his face as blood dripped from the slits between his fingers, smearing into his hair before he disappeared into purple light.

Mew Lettuce thought for a second she was hallucinating until she realised Alto was still nearby her head, sitting by her defensively. She pushed herself up to look at the strange cat that saved her, tentatively reaching out to pat the little feline. Alto froze up at her soft action before relaxing at the calming feeling. His human side started to bubble to control again, observing Mew Lettuce as he let out a breath, slightly purring.

"Thank you, you saved me…" Mew Lettuce smiled before she relaxed her body again, flopping to the ground. Alto took a few steps towards her, his black nose sniffing her but all he could smell was the thick, iron-like blood. He glanced down at his paws, his blood-stained claws were still out, raking the ground. His nose stung with the scent of blood and feeling of the blood seeping through his fur and covering his skin repulsed him. He huffed as he looked across the grass to see a bloody ball sitting on the ground, a yellow iris staring, glaring at him as blood dribbled over it. His fur stood up, his gut churning as he shifted his paws to feel a strange, warm, white jelly between them.

* * *

Seeker Hitomi stood still, watching Masaya and the little boy go. She felt strange, shaking almost as his gaze was still fresh in her mind.

'Just like me. His eyes are just like mine. I've never seen or heard of other people like me… Perhaps are there more? Are they the same as me?' She wondered, distracted as Mew Ichigo approached the tree.

"Alright, let's destroy this tree!" Mew Ichigo huffed, lining up her glove's heart and the Strawberry Bell's heart together. She held it tightly in her grasp, ignoring the jumping and jittering muscles, "Ribbon Strawberry Check!" She released the attack, the beam slamming into the tree before it disappeared. Mew Ichigo stared at the tree, no visible changes to it at all, "Seeker Hitomi, is i-" She couldn't finish her sentence as Kish appeared at her side and slammed his leg into her stomach, his hand, flattened out but every muscle tensed up, slapped away her Strawberry Bell in a heartbeat. Mew Ichigo's stomach rammed into her lungs, pushing out her air. Pain throbbed around the area, her stomach groaning as it thrashed around. She toppled onto the ground, her Strawberry Bell rolling shakily towards Seeker Hitomi, who stood still, frozen with shock that rang in her gut.

"Gotcha my kitten," Kish cooed, smiling devilishly at Mew Ichigo as she rolled around on the ground. Her muscles all quivered as she tried to push herself up, trying to stand up and fight but she couldn't. Her breath was quick, trying to find oxygen in the air until she let out a spluttered cough. It shook her body, clawing her lungs. It was excruciating as her body's functions started to break down. Kish's smile dropped as he watched Mew Ichigo try to stand up, to fight him but could only roll over in pain.

'She is about to die now…' Kish realised as Seeker Hitomi fell to the ground. Seeker Hitomi's vision whirled around, fading in and out of black, fuzzy boarders closing in as her shoulders rose and fell, her breath growing shorter. Her limbs felt like glass, about to shatter from the slightest pressure.

"I'm not going to die… Not here damn it!" She huffed, "Spectrum Point!" She summoned the little glass arrow and pointed it at Kish, crossing her fingers with her spare hand, "Ribbon Spectrum Spot!" She yelled, the little spot of light flew through the air, only to land on the Cherry Blossom tree.

'Damn it! Why can't I do anything, it only landed on the tree! Wait… That other alien uses a gun and it landed on his right arm. It landed on the infected Cherry Blossom tree, does it seek out weak points or something? Or true target?' She wondered as the Spectrum Point lit up, still holding all of the Mew Mews' power.

"Mew Ichigo… I'll make a deal with you," Kish said, ignoring the Seeker. Mew Ichigo began to push her upper body up, her pink eyes landing on Kish's yellow eyes, "You know that you're about to die. There is a way to save you, if you join us, serve us, we make sure that your safe. I'll make sure…" Kish smiled again but with excitement. The deal made Mew Ichigo's instincts and gut clench, rolling over. She bit her lip, trying to snap herself to attention as she tried to push herself up.

'What is change in attitude?' Seeker Hitomi thought, 'Does he honestly think she'll go with him?' The Seeker turned her head to find the Strawberry Bell nearby her, the glass heart shimmering dully. The Seeker looked down to see the brightly shimmering Spectrum Point and she promptly wanted to slap herself for not realising earlier.

"Go with you?" She laughed cynically, her knees and legs wobbling, threatening to give way under her. Kish watched her, observing her movements as he planned his next move. The pink Mew Mew wondered what he would do, in her condition, she couldn't fight him off. She had to destroy the tree or everyone would die. Her pink eyes flicked over to Seeker Hitomi, watching her stumble to her feet. Seeker Hitomi threw the Strawberry Bell, her body tumbling over lazily and limply as she used all of her strength. Mew Ichigo watched it, praying it would reach her as she tottered forward. She reached up and luckily the Strawberry shaped weapon hooked around her hand. Seeker Hitomi rested her elbow on the ground, pushing up the Spectrum Point so aimed at the Strawberry Bell.

"Ribbon Spectrum Strawberry Upgrade!" Seeker Hitomi croaked, the ball of leftover energy from the previous fight beaming over to Mew Ichigo. Kish watched, astounded at the amount of strength that was stored in the little arrow. Mew Ichigo felt the flood of strength, the warm embrace of everyone's power.

"Everyone… I won't let you down! Strawberry Bell Version Up!" She watched as the Strawberry transformed into the large, powerful weapon, circling around her body. She felt stronger, more powerful as the weapon formed however she knew this feeling would wear off quickly.

She had to act now.

"Mew Ichigo, don't attack! You will die! You can only survive if you come with me!" Kish rose his voice, taking a step towards her as he realised that she was going to attack the tree. She didn't even look at him as she bent her knees, sending power to her legs so she could spring up into the tree. Her feet searched out large branches, hopping from one branch to another to reach the top of the tree. She held her breath, knowing that in the tree's canopy, there would be nothing but carbon monoxide.

"MEW ICHIGO! STOP!" Kish screamed out, "LISTEN TO ME!" He knew that if she took one breath, she would be dead.

'If she dies! My toy is gone! My toy! She can't take her own life, I must be the one to do that!'

"Never," Seeker Hitomi hissed, glaring at him from the ground. Her gaze burned into him intensely, making Kish feel slightly uncomfortable until a bright light encased the tree. Mew Ichigo jumped out of the tree's branches, quickly pointing the Strawberry Bell Version Up down at the infected tree below her.

"Ribbon Strawberry Check Healing!" Mew Ichigo sent the swarm of pink and white light towards the tree. It covered it, entering every stomate and any possible entrance before burning inside. Mew Ichigo started to fall back down, her body turning around as she preparing her legs for the rough landing. Kish watched the glowing tree, the blossoms shredding off into an explosion of petals, dancing around the clearing and dusting the ground. The shock of landing reverberated up her legs, shaking her body from her toes to her ears. She tried to stand tall, locking her knees into place but she her upper body felt heavy, bone-crushingly heavy. Her knee gave way, falling to the ground as she collapsed under the suffocating weight. Seeker Hitomi pushed her head up to look at the cherry blossom tree, the petals still raining beautifully down on them like confetti at a celebration.

"The tree, it's okay…" She huffed, "It's not infected…". Kish looked at them both on the ground, trembling and shivering before looking back up at the light disappearing into the tree.

"Bye bye for tonight then kitten," Kish smiled slightly before he turned into wisps of purple light, teleporting away. Mew Ichigo looked up at where the alien boy once stood before taking a large breath of oxygen filled air.

* * *

"Darn it! Fuck! How? How did they do it?" Sasujiro roared over the T.I.S system, his fingers pressing the little device into his ear.

"Let's just retreat, Pie said it would be best," Kish's voice crackled over the system, ignoring Sasujiro's anger, "They will be after us now that all the Para Paban, Chimera Anima and the tree have been dealt with. The World Government's forces are after us too, let's retreat to the base," Kish explained as Sasujiro gripped his Sight Of Snake tighter.

"Goddamnit! We could have had this planet tonight!" Sasujiro roared when another voice came through. It caught him by surprise as it was broadcasted to every T.I.S system on this planet, giving out the same command.

"My fellow warriors, retreat now," It was Lord Furaro's voice. It shocked Sasujiro and everyone that picked up his voice. It sounded edgy, boarding on gravelly hatred. Sasujiro clenched his weapon tighter, anger was pulling on each tissue, toughening him up and turning him to stone. He swiftly turned off the T.I.S before roaring, releasing pent up aggression at his defeat. His bloodthirsty eyes scanned the area below his roof, looking down from his throne. He was a sniper and his domain was the shadows above. Before this, his plans went smoothly and he did everything correctly. He calculated their strength and capabilities, he formed and carried out a brilliant plan to trap them, only to be foiled by his own race.

"_Keeki… Sasujiro, I want you to keep this to yourself. I believe I can trust you and you're the only one that can decide whether or not I'm correct…" Lord Furaro paced around the spacecraft hanger, his thick, black boots crunching the pure white snow beneath his feet._

"_You can trust me, you have my word," Sasujiro bowed respectfully, gaining Lord Furaro's attention._

"_Keeki, she is a strange child. You can probably see that yourself. She is a good researcher, no doubt about that but I believe she maybe to soft. She has been pampered by my darling Purofittoro, she doesn't understand the suffering our race faces. I believe she may sympathise with the humans. If this happens, please, quietly and secretly silence her permanently. She will endanger our mission…" _

'I cannot believe it, he was right. I thought she was just a little aloof and quiet however Lord Furaro was correct. I have to follow his word then, only he will lead us to Deep Blue and reclaiming this planet. Speaking of Deep Blue, where is our messiah? What kind of power will he give us?' He wondered, standing tall as the cold night air started to soothe his anger, 'Will he defeat those Mew Mews? They have made a fool of me for to long. If that troublesome traitor Keeki hadn't released them, every Aquisferan would be dead. Nothing. Just rotting flesh in the morning sun. Dust. They would have been nothing,'.

However, Sasujiro knew not to disobey Lord Furaro and that Kish and Pie were right, he was a sitting duck now. He went to press the Teleport Ring when his eyes just picked up the flapping of wings. Yet it was to late.

"Ribbon Mint Echo!" Mew Mint launched her carefully aimed Mint Echo while trying to fly ever so silently. The blue light arrow zeroed in on its target, the Sight Of Snake perfectly. The arrow hit the gun at just the right angle to push the weapon out of Sasujiro's grasp. It tumbled off the building, landing loudly as little fractures started to appear on the gun. The sound unnerved Sasujiro and added flame to his growing Mew Mew animosity. Mew Mint didn't waste a single moment to act, folding her wings and falling gracefully into a dive towards the rifle. Sasujiro cursed, about to teleport when something with searing sharpness wrapped around his upper right arm and his arm, and body, was jolted back. His red, boiling eyes followed the purple glowing whip to Mew Zakuro standing in the middle of the street across from him, hiding in his blind spot.

"Shit…" He hissed as Mew Mint flapped her wings, pulling out of her dive as she neared the street. She landed perfectly, right next to the rifle. She smirked to herself as she observed the weapon up close.

"This is your weapon? May I ask you something?" Mew Mint politely asked Sasujiro with her posh inflection like she was conversing with someone at a formal event. This grabbed his attention instantly and he tried to press forward but Mew Zakuro kept him in place. He glared down at the blue Mew Mew as she smirked at the trapped fly.

Mew Mint and Mew Zakuro were going to rip his wings.

"Do you hunt in your spare time? It might explain why you keep darting us. You probably haven't seen a human before… The common folk of alien races tend to be a little… blunt-minded?" Mew Mint sneered at him before she raised her foot over the rifle. The image of her foot dangerously hanging above the Sight Of Snake make Sasujiro's guts fall and spiral into a bottomless, fearful ravine, "You barbarian," She hissed before she slammed her foot down. The street was filled with the bone-cracking crash of the Sight Of Snake. Mew Mint's boot didn't provide much padding, her toes and bones aching, groaning as they slammed through the ancient looking rifle. However the sight below made the aching it all worth it, along with his reaction. Sasujiro watched in horror at the murder of his beloved and only weapon, shattered apart on the street. Mew Mint bent over, picking up the two pieces of the rifle, "You better find another way to torment us now," Mew Mint said, her wings flapping to carry her body into the air.

"You filth!" Mew Zakuro hissed at him and with the speed and power of a crack of lightning, she whipped her arm across her. The Zakuro Pure dragged Sasujiro off the safety of his rooftop, his right arm yanked to the right with Mew Zakuro's brute strength. She swept him across the sky, his dark, deep blue hair lashing around his body, his red eyes closed up tightly due to the rough air resistance. He didn't have time to prepare his body for the impact, his body crashing into the brick building across the street. His body was overcome with harsh and fierce pain. Every bone, every muscle, every part of his body wreathed in boiling, agonising pain. Mew Zakuro smirked, whipping the Zakuro Pure up and letting it dissolve without a single thought of its results.

"Let's go Mew Mint," She said and disappeared along with the blue Mew Mew as Sasujiro tumbled to the ground, not even looking at him.

As the Zakuro Pure whipped up, Sasujiro felt a strange feeling that was briskly jumbled under the pure shock of his humiliation. His body fell onto the hard concrete and he swore he could feel and hear something crack, pressured under the intense weight and force of the ruthless attack. He knew he had to retreat even though he just wanted to lay in pain, to fall into darkness but his rage drove him on. He moved his arm up to press his teleportation ring however he couldn't move his fingers, nor feel his hand, wrist or arm on his right side. That's when he felt the sharp, jagged cut that circled his upper arm. The sickly hot, sticky sensation of blood tricking out in a vile, steady dribble. The skin-crawling feeling of the foreign and alien night air on bone and raw, blood-red muscle.

He could see his right arm. His bloody red eyes followed it before flicking down to his right shoulder. He could see his right arm. However, he would never control it or feel it ever again as it laid apart from his body in front of him. His long sleeved, black shirt was ripped and torn at the upper arm and was drenched in his own blood. He quickly used his left thumb to teleport away but he knew that now, he would probably never fight against the Mew Mews again.

* * *

"I'm going to the Café now," Seeker Hitomi said to Mew Ichigo as the Mew Mew inspected the tree, "Are you coming?" She asked. Mew Ichigo looked up through the blossomless branches, distracted with a thought.

"Go ahead, I'll be there in a minute," Mew Ichigo hazily told her. Seeker Hitomi raised an eyebrow before turning around, exiting the clearing. Mew Ichigo gazed up at the tree, her thoughts clouded and muddled. She let out a sigh, enjoying the now safe air.

'We all talked about how much has changed in over two weeks. The happiest day of my life, the strangest day of my life. The day my life and everyone's changed. I became a Mew Mew and I had to protect the planet and Tokyo from Chimera Animas, Para Para and Aliens. Mint, Lettuce, Pudding, Zakuro, Shirogane, Hitomi and Akasaka-san… Our lives changed in a two week period. Now. Now the whole planet's fate changed within a night. No, it wasn't even a full night, it was a few hours. Oh, what are we going to do now?' She mused to herself as she relaxed. Every muscle was aching, she felt like she went through a clothes dryer that was filled with bricks, planks of wood. She was utterly exhausted and wanted to just fall on her bed, stretch herself out and fall into a deep, deep sleep.

'Damn, I got school tomorrow… Wait… Will there even be school tomorrow? I mean, the city was attacked and the World Government kicked in quickly so… What's going to happen now?' She asked herself, 'I just want everything to be peaceful. I want to go to school, see my friends and hear Aoyama-kun call my nam-'

"Ichigo…?" A voice called out. Mew Ichigo froze up from hearing her name. Her ears pricked up to focus on the newcomer. She could hear them treading through the park, approaching her from behind. She scented the air, hoping to catch the scent of this person to find manly perspiration, the smell of earth and the park was sprinkled on the surface but underneath it all was a distinct scent. It made her nerves tingle, an electrified pulse crackle up her spine. Her eyes widened, fear and anxiety shining brightly in the pink depths.

'No way… No…'

"Ichigo…?" The voice repeated. Mew Ichigo took a breath, sucking in air through her trembling lips. She knew that voice. Her heart fluttered in her chest, echoing in her ears however right now, she was terrified. She spun around in a swift movement, her body wanting to doubt her conclusion. She had to see him to truly know he was there.

Even as he stood in the darkness, she could make out his beautiful hazel eyes, which were sharp, watching the pink Mew Mew in front of him. His black bangs were a little messy from the sweat that fell from his skin. His breath was a little short, as if he had been running over a distance. He was still in his school uniform, his shirt little ripped and not pure white anymore. He took another step towards her making Mew Ichigo tense up.

'How? No one has recognised me from television, from the newspaper articles and no one has ever seen me before hand so why?' Mew Ichigo thought to herself, 'He is going to hate me, I keep such a secret from him, from everyone… I'm not even human anymore…' She felt her lips quiver more, wanting to blubber and let out a cry. She paused her lips together, clenching her fists as her eyes started to water over, 'No, he hasn't asked me anything yet… I have to play this off. I'm not Ichigo Momomiya right now. I can't cry here,'.

Mew Ichigo turned to her side, her lips trying to pull of a convincing smile. She tried to hold back her tears as she stared directly at Masaya.

"No, my name is Mew Ichigo. I'm a Mew Mew," She told him, her voice wobbled on the edge of breaking. She gave him a long glance before she bounded away, trying to escape the clearing as quickly as her legs could carry her, ignoring his protests. The night air felt cold brushing over her skin. Her lungs still hurt, rasping from all the stress of the night. Mew Ichigo gave in, letting out spluttered cries and gasps of air while running to Café Mew Mew. She eventually reached the Café, the pink building in darkness and the little golden angel cat looking over her. She collapsed on the garden, her shoulders shivering and her chest heaving with her laboured breath. Her mouth was open as she let out a bubbled, bordering on cat-like mourning as she let her arms go limp, throwing her head up to the sky. Mew Lettuce heard the cries, sensing someone in great distress and ran towards the front of the café. She peered around the hedge to see Mew Ichigo in her pitiful position.

"Mew Ichigo! What's wrong? Are you hurt?" She asked anxiously, running to her side and dropping to her level. Mew Ichigo just looked at her, trying to find words but she could do was just wail. Mew Lettuce quickly pulled her distressed friend into a hug, rubbing her on the back like her mother did to her only last night.

"Aoyama-kun… He… I think he knows…"

* * *

"Fry? Fry are you okay?" A middle aged woman asked, circling and observing the fifteen year old girl. She quickly felt her forehead, feeling the perspiration and heat emitting from her.

"I'm okay… Just it was our first real fight… I think Chip may have broken her wrist, can you check her?" The girl said with a thick American accent. The woman looked up, her face painted with anxiety as she held onto the dark-purple haired girl, "Mum, I'm fine," She half-groaned and her mother hesitantly let her go. She walked out of the well-furnished office, closing the door quietly behind her.

"This isn't good at all Fry," A man groaned, looking at his laptop while nursing a headache. Fry took a step forward, her large bust giggling with the movement.

"What is it? I saw the World Government while I was out there. They jumped on the situation quickly as if they understood what was happening," Fry reported and the man just nodded.

"I think they may know more than they are leading onto. They just declared war on the aliens that attacked us tonight,"

"What? You're serious? We are attacking an enemy that we don't even know much about!" Fry exclaimed.

"Yes my girl, much that the public and we don't know about however the government obviously know more than then us," The man then paused, smiling, "Well, there might be another one who might know more than us. I haven't been able to contact him though. Last thing I heard is that he opened up a café in Aquis-Tokyo," With those few words, Fry smiled excitedly.

"Dad! Let me go!"

"What? But you have to stay here incase of another attack! You're mother and I won't be able to properly lead without you around. Not to mention Chip is hard to control and Piki will be upset with you gone," He pointed out but Fry just dismissive waved her hand.

"No big deal, Appie can handle them fine and I'll only go for a day. I'm pretty sure that Ryou won't want me to stay anyway. Also, I want to see him, I haven't like seen him since… umm.. I was ten!" She said, walking off to book her overseas trip, "I have to tell him and show him what a success his Mew Project is anyway!"

* * *

**Zoey Hoshi:** Wow, lots of lost body parts in this chapter and I only noticed it after re-reading what I wrote over a week. However, who is this mysterious Fry? Keeki's fate? Does Masaya know?

**Mint:** Only a moron who hasn't watched the anime or read the manga wouldn't know that. If that was so, why are they looking up fanfiction on it? It would destroy their knowledge of canon.

**Zoey Hoshi:** Yes, yes however I have some readers that follow my work and have not read it before so to them it's a surprise! Two to go and we focus on our little yellow Mew Mew a little more!


	38. Truth is never simple

**Author's Note: **Would you believe me if I said my property was hit by lightning? That it left us with no water pump, faulty electricity and no internet? Well Australia and its crazy weather made it possible. Sorry for that, I have only gotten internet now at my boyfriend's house. However, the second chapter is 80% finished and will be up shortly! Enjoy the last two chapters of the Mew Project!

**Note:** I am Australian, and we have alternative ways of spelling certain words from America. Eg. Mum/Mom, -ise/-ize etc.

Every artist needs opinions and loves to listen to them. Please, leave behind constructive criticisms and/or thoughts on the chapters. If you think there is something wrong with the chapter, I implore you, please explain _why_ and even suggest options and ideas for me to improve the next chapter. Even though I love writing and this is truly just writing down a world that is playing out in my head, I do want to improve my skill and see that people enjoy themselves.

_**Thank you.**_

* * *

**Chapter 38: Truth is never simple. **

Mew Pudding jumped off the three-metre tall brick fence and onto the road below. She flicked her ears, hearing vehicles returning from the evac zones. She smiled, knowing that if people were returning then the aliens had retreated. Apart from a few burning, overturned vehicles, the uncommon road and the odd building that was damaged, it looked like no devastation had taken place.

'Everything should be back to normal in no time na no da,' Pudding told herself.

Her nose then slammed into an invisible wall, making her stop dead. She sniffed, the scent clinging heavily in the air. She could smell blood, a little more metallic than normal but there was no mistaking that familiar scent. She started to follow it, trying to find the source. It was fresh so someone was nearby and needed help but Mew Pudding's couldn't shake of a haze of bafflement. She had only been down this very street a few minutes ago. The block wasn't damaged at all last time she passed by but now the ground floor of a shop was destroyed. The concrete was cracked, tarmac was broken apart in chunks as if an earth tremor erupted below. The shop windows were shattered, something thrown through the glass with a strong force from the outside. The bricks and wooden frame were burnt, blackened, crumbling away while the interior smoldered.

'Mew Pudding's been here before but a fight has happened here after na no da. Were aliens attacking people na no da?' Mew Pudding wondered, crouching like an ape on the sidewalk, her knuckles sitting on the ground. She inspected some more, sniffing the air again. The scent of perspiration and blood hung in the air like humidity. It was sharp, clawing down her throat from her nose. She jumped through the broken window, moving around the darkened shop like a cautious primate. Using her eyesight and sense of smell, she easily found the horrid, spilt blood.

Mew Pudding then picked up a clicking noise, it sounded unnatural yet familiar. She stood up, spinning around to see a small Para para floating around. It's beady eyes focused on Mew Pudding before looking down to a motionless figure. It lay there limply like a ragdoll, thrown through the window and left to die. Mew Pudding jumped forward, wondering if the Para para was trying to infect the figure but it just floating around, making calming clicks. Mew Pudding eyed it suspiciously before crouching beside the body. Suddenly, she was at a loss for words.

'What if they are…? No! No! Don't think like that na no da!' She talked to herself when she immediately recognised the long, elf ears on the body.

"Hey… You okay na no da?" Mew Pudding croaked quietly. There was no immediate reply but the chest and shoulders jumped with a sudden and ragged breath. Mew Pudding let out a steady breath as the worry lifted its death grip around her lungs while the figure spluttered blood from their mouth.

"I told you to get out of here…" The voice replied, straining to not to gag on her own blood. She shifted her body, glass crackling beneath her, embedding their way further into her damaged and bruised skin. She coughed before her arms fell limp, her energy and blood draining away from a large wound on her back, "Don't hurt Paru either…" She groaned, heaving her upper body up. Mew Pudding didn't wait any longer. She carefully slid her arm, as quickly as she dared, under her torso and lifted her up. Mew Pudding used all of her strength to place her small body under Keeki's to support her.

"Wha… What are you trying to do?" Keeki mumbled as Mew Pudding started to drag her out of the store.

"You saved Mew Pudding twice so that means you're a good guy na no da. Mew Pudding cannot leave you here na no da," Mew Pudding smiled up at Keeki, her feet scrambling to get a foothold on the ground. Paru dived into Keeki's white hair, his tentacles wrapping around Keeki's neck and shoulders to lock him in place. He could feel Keeki's warm skin dehydrating him but he stuck close to her, making small clicks to reassure her.

"Good guy…?" She spluttered, her body trembling. She paused before she looked down at Mew Pudding, "I haven't changed sides… I'm just not…," Keeki trailed off realising that she could say nothing to stop Mew Pudding.

"Mew Pudding can't leave you to die… They did that to you na no da?" She asked, Keeki just looked down droopily, "Then you're not a bad guy and Mew Pudding has to help you," Mew Pudding sped up, carrying her away to Café Mew Mew.

* * *

"What the hell happened to him?" Tart asked as Kish looked down the long empty corridor. The concrete floor was covered in a thick layer of dust so it was easy to tell where Sasujiro had gone, the dust trodden and a trail of thick blood making a solid path.

"Don't know," Kish mumbled, leaning back on a graffiti covered brick wall, "Humans probably," He said before walking away towards the main tunnel. Tart watched him, perplex at his attitude and answer before floating after him, watching his older brother.

"Why not the Mew Mews?" Tart pointed out as they entered the main train tunnel. The old tunnels were weathered and they could even smell how old the networks were, untouched for decades. Kish walked to the opening, exiting the tunnels that dug under the mountain range. The early morning breeze travelled down the tunnel, whistling down into its dark, unexplored bowls.

"They destroy our Chimera Animas, they have never done something like that…" Kish said as he floated over the tall, wire fence humans had placed around the tunnel's entrance long ago to prevent any curious visitors. Old 'danger' and 'keep out' signs littered the valley, paint peeling from them. The old train tracks had been ripped from the ground, just leaving behind scars in the earth, "You'll fight them soon enough and see… We'll just have to plan for human interference as well," Kish then smirked devilishly and flash his teeth, "How fun," Kish smirked, his eyes glowing intensely.

"You're taking this well weirdo," Tart crossed his arms, not leaving the safety zone of the tunnel's entrance. Kish's lips twitched a little, his fists clenching up into balls before he heaved a sigh, relaxing his tense muscles.

"You have to otherwise we will fail in our mission. We have to continue our mission to kill humanity and find Deep Blue before he awakens…" Kish glanced back at Tart, "Pie is helping him isn't he? Sasujiro will be okay,"

"No, he is with Pastry…" Tart corrected, Kish stopped, his face turning into a lazy 'huh?' expression, "Three others came with us, didn't you know that? Sasujiro talked with them when you came back home last time…" Tart explained. Kish's head rolled around, sluggish disdain on his face.

"Could've told me that bastard…" Kish groaned.

"Pastry is a researcher and she knows about medicine," Tart said, the name pricked some deep, hazy memory. It was clouded with something, warping and fragmented. He frowned, trying to remember where he heard that name.

"Sounds familiar…" He said, "The others?"

"Meh, can't remember… They spent the travel to their in her rooms. One's a girl and the other's a guy but when we landed they took off somewhere," He shrugged in boredom, "They are both important though to Furaro…" Tart said.

"Okay," Kish said, disinterested as he took to the early morning sky.

"Where you going? It's not safe out!" Tart yelled after him, running up to the fence.

"I'll keep hidden, I just got to think about something alone," Kish called out as he travelled along the morning currents.

"Weirdo," Tart rolled his eyes, mumbling before he retreated into the old, half finished network of train tunnels buried under the mountain.

'Humans…' Kish hissed to himself, 'Out of the original three that were sent here, two are gone, unable to fight. I could have avenged Keeki tonight…' He thought as the sky started to tint pink with the arrival of the morning sun, 'I had two of those humans at my knees, one slash of my Dragon Swords… Done…' He thought, his fingers clawing into his palms, wanting to feel the sai in his grasp. He could still remember it, their fearful yet defiant eyes. Their heartbeat would have resonated beautifully on his blade but he hesitated and Mew Ichigo…

'Mew Ichigo… I've never seen her attack me like that, without mercy, without logical thought. She thrashed me and she could've proven a difficult challenge to break. However, that human…' His mind was filled with blinding red, he could still see her shy, soft and delicate smile as she gazed at him. She blushed, she was slightly coy and it was obvious. It was an arrow, a thorn, a bullet through Kish.

He meant something to her.

'Why? Why that idiotic, barbarous thrash? Why do you protect them? Don't you understand what they have done? What they are capable of doing?' His voice in his head roared, bubbling in his blood. It made him tremble with pure hatred and it was whispering, ordering and teaching him what to do next with that boy.

* * *

"Don't you understand? She can't be a 'good guy' now, she might be playing the part to catch us off guard. Who knows?" Zakuro growled, her wolf genes spiking to the surface as her wolf ears flattened. Lettuce's legs shivered but she kept her ground against the angry wolf.

"Zakuro-san, she helped us escape and saved Pudding-san… She can't," Lettuce repeated what she said earlier, her voice trembling as she stood in front of the door leading to the infirmary. She couldn't help but be uneasy under Zakuro's purple glare. Ryou walked down the hallway from his room, obviously hearing the inhuman growling. His blue eyes flashed over Lettuce and then Zakuro, before he sighed.

"She is on death's door… She can't do anything right now," Ryou stated, "You know that yourself Zakuro," Ryou stood up against Zakuro's heated gaze, "Don't let your genes get the better of you," Ryou added. His cat genes screamed in fear though, bolting into action. His hair stood on end but he fought to control it.

"Onee-sama! Where are you?" Mint's voice called out, Zakuro turned around before she grunted in submission. Her wolf ears stood up, relaxing as she took a few deep breaths.

"You're right…" She breathed, "I can't believe I lost it like that," She growled at herself before turning to Lettuce, "Sorry Lettuce but you understand," Zakuro then looked at Ryou, "However, if she tries anything, I will personally make her regret it," Zakuro told Ryou before turning around and walking downstairs.

"I won't stop you then…" Ryou murmured before looking at Lettuce, who looked like she was about fall over, "You okay?" He asked her. She sighed heavily and looked up at Ryou with soft yet distant eyes.

"Yes, thank you Shirogane-san…" She replied, 'Excuse me…" She then walked downstairs without making eye contact with the blonde teenager. Ryou stood at the top of the stairs, his chest aching softly. He rubbed his hand over his forehead, his sharpened fingernails scratching over his scalp. Downstairs felt like forbidden territory suddenly, deep and unfamiliar. He just felt like returning to his room to lay down in his bed.

"Smooth moves Ryou," Keiichiro's head popped out from the door, making Ryou jump up in surprise. He felt the shock rush from his toes to his neck, fluttering over his skin and hair.

"Damn! Don't do that again," Ryou hissed as his heart started to slow from the shock, regaining his composure. Keiichiro just gave him a long glance and it irritated Ryou, he knew that glance. He was observing him, "What?"

Keiichiro arched an all knowing eyebrow at the teen who just rolled his eyes in response, "She thinks you're mad at her since she trusts her," Keiichiro nodded his head towards the room that Keeki was currently in, "You should settle them all down and then explain yourself to Lettuce-san before she thinks you hate her,"

"What? Apologise for having a brain and my own opinion?" Ryou asked, "I'm not some brain-dead, imaginary and non-existent shojo guy," Ryou hissed and Keiichiro chuckled.

"No, for appearing mad at her. Anyhow, Keeki is sleeping well and I've dressed her wounds, disinfected them and removed all glass and wood from her body. She was obviously attacked by a Para paban," Keiichiro whispered and Ryou glanced off to the side, nodding slowly, "She'll be awake maybe later today so then we can question her. I think it would be good to have Lettuce-san, Pudding-san Ichigo-san with us, she might be more willing to talk," Keiichiro said, Ryou nodded in agreement before looking downstairs, "Let's settle them down now,".

* * *

"What's taking so long, I can't stay here for much longer," Mint groaned, shifting closer to Zakuro who lazed back on wall. Hitomi flicked a harsh glance at Zakuro, watching her closely as she tried to bite her tongue, heeling her wolf DNA.

"My parents will be worried if I don't come home soon," Hitomi added to Mint's statement, resting her head on the empty table. Pudding jumped on Lettuce's back, wrapping her legs around her waist as Lettuce stumbled slightly however she was slowly getting used to the usual routine. Ichigo sat in the corner of the room, watching all of them from a distance. Hitomi and Mint glanced at her before sighing. Ichigo continued to watch Lettuce and noticed Lettuce's eyes wondering, deep in thought. Her expression sagged, her lips apart as if she was trying to say something, preparing something silently. Ichigo walked over to her slowly, waving her hand in front of her.

"You okay Lettuce?" Ichigo asked softly however it felt like Ichigo slammed a frying pan over her head, screaming to get her attention. She jumped up, letting out a shocked, high pitched, squeak-like click. However Pudding's weight threw her off balance, dragging her back, her feet scrambling like a fish out of water. Zakuro stepped forward, reaching out to secure the two effortlessly. She pushed her gently to her feet, as Ichigo watched on, her face not changing.

"A- Huh? Ah! Yes I'm fin-" She started to say when Ryou and Keiichiro walked into the main room.

"I have tended to her and she is in a stable condition now. She should be awake soon,"

"That's a relief," Lettuce sighed as Pudding squirmed happily.

"Then what? We let her walk out?" Mint asked from Zakuro's side, matching her strong posture, arms crossed defiantly.

"No, we'll take that chance to question her," Ryou replied, "No matter the response, she won't be leaving here. She knows where we are and who we are, she won't leave here and if she tries to do anything…" Ryou paused, glancing at Zakuro, "We'll go from there," Ryou exchanged with Zakuro, who nodded, knowing what he meant. Lettuce bit her lip, her eyes closing tightly as she tried to block out what that statement meant out of her head. Suddenly they all heard a loud knocking from the front door, snapping them into confused silence.

"Why is someone here now?" Ichigo echoed everyone's thoughts dully. Ryou rolled his eyes before walking by the girls and towards the front door as the knocking continued, increasing in frequency and volume.

"Sorry but we are clos-" Ryou started to yell through the door when he froze. He took a step back as the scent invading the café. It was very distinct and familiar to Ryou, pinching long lost memories to the surface, "No way. How?" He breathed, walking backwards, "Don't let that patriotic yank near me!" He yelled in English, turning tail and running away from the door. The girls, except Zakuro who raised an eyebrow in amused curiousity, sat in bafflement as they tried to pitifully use their fragmented English skills. They watched the normally calm, collected Ryou crumble in front of them, all of his professionalism gone in a click. Keiichiro rushed over to the door, unlocking and opening it with a flick of his wrist. A fifteen-year-old girl rushed by him and up to Ryou, her speed even with Ryou's. She flushed out her hand, grasping a handful his black shirt.

"Whadda' mean patriotic yank? You're half yank yourself idiot!" She responded in a thick American accent, spinning Ryou around.

"Mum always said that you were as pat-" Ryou went to retaliate when his brain stopped. The American girl in front of him was as tall as him, her deep purple eyes glaring at his level. Her hair had gotten longer, half of her hair pulled into a loose ponytail, "Fry, that's really you isn't it?"

"So you yell at random American's for no good reason?" Fry grinned wickedly getting a unamused look from Ryou, "Yep, it is me but if you kept in touch perhaps you wouldn't be so surprised," She grumbled.

"Fry, long time no see," Keiichiro smiled as he approached her, talking in perfect English along with the two teenagers, "You've grown a lot since I last saw you,"

"Kei! You've gotten tall!" Fry circled him before measuring herself up to him.

"Geez! Can someone talk in Japanese and tell us what's happening?" Hitomi snapped, slamming her hands on the table. She immediately got everyone's attention and when Fry's eyes landed on hers she shied away from the table, her skin prickling.

"This is your harem?" Fry's eyes washed over them all, "Do any of them speak English?"

"I do," Zakuro stepped forward, "I'm Zakuro Fujiwara, I lived in America for a while," she explained, reaching out her hand to shake it.

"Ah! Your that model! I remember!" Fry's hands clapped over hers, "But I better use my translator so I can formally introduce myself,"

* * *

"I'm Fry Smith," Fry introduced herself, now understandable to the others in the lab, "I'm a childhood friend of Ryou,"

"Really?" Ichigo looked at the two. Ryou was studious, technical and quiet but Fry seemed headstrong, outgoing and outspoken.

"Fry's father and mother were colleagues of Dr. Shirogane so Fry was often over at the Shirogane estate until we moved," Keiichiro explained

"Without a word," Fry added. Keiichiro pulled embarrassed apologetic look and awkwardly laughed.

"Sorry Fry but things aren't as simple as they used to be," Ryou bluntly stated.

"Ah! That's right!" Fry cried out, leaning over slightly. She then used a finger to pull down her collar, revealing more her cleavage, "Look!"

"Damn! I get it! You've grown!" Ryou hissed, covering his eyes and looking away.

"Not at my breasts idiot! Can't you see it!" She hissed as her finger pointed to a mark on the top of her right breast. It was a scar but it was in a shape of a crescent flipped on its side with a small circle nearby it and four wing shapes surrounding it, "The Mew Project worked perfectly all over the world!"

"You're a Mew Mew?" The girls rushed forward, "But there's only five of us!"

"Ah!" Hitomi's head snapped up, "That's what you meant!" Spinning to Keiichiro, "The world would be fine because we aren't the only Mew Mew team… There's more isn't there?" She asked and Keiichiro nodded.

"What? Why didn't you tell us?" Ichigo pressed urgently, snapping out of her daze, Ryou just avoided her gaze while Keiichiro gave her a strange yet apologetic smile.

"A few days ago our biggest problem was getting you girls together," Ryou shrugged his shoulders, "Now we have a bigger problem and now you know. What's the problem?" Ryou turned around but Ichigo hissed under her breath, her rage starting to prick her blood.

"That's harsh, what else have you kept from them?" Fry asked Ryou, "You should have told them everything if you wanted them to work properly and at their finest," Fry said, "That's what we did,"

"We have our own way of doing things…" Ryou mumbled, "I bet you had a lot of problems with your team then," He retorted, Fry glancing away from his question.

"Fry Onee-chan!, what DNA do you have na no da?" Pudding squirmed in excitement, her eyes anxiously searching the girl for any clues.

"The California Condor," Fry smiled back, her attitude to Pudding was soft as if she deals with small kids frequently. Pudding tilted her head, her face twisting into a childish ponder, "It's a type of bird, really big and brought to Aquisfera to raise the population. They were brought back from the brink of extinction really," She explained.

"Suits you," Ryou grinned, "Mother always said how you were a patriotic as an American war veteran," Fry turned from Pudding and stuck her tongue out at Ryou in retaliation.

"Hey after what's going to happen, I may be one!" She replied to him, poking her tongue out playfully.

"Sorry if I'm rushing you Fry, but what brings you here? Is everything okay after the invasion?" Keiichiro asked. Fry snapped almost into another girl, fatigue and seriousness slapped onto her face.

"After NightFall, that's what they are calling last night in the media," She clarified with them, "Things aren't right… It feels wrong, the U.A.G is acting like nothing happened,"

"U.A.G na no da?" Pudding echoed, tilting her head in confusion.

"The Union Aquisferan Government," Lettuce replied before letting Fry continue.

"Until NightFall, my team had never truly fought the aliens so it was a shock but we dealt with it since the U.A.G sent the military in within half an hour! I know that the U.A.G responds quickly but that quickly?" She then internally laughed at her statement, "Then again, mess with us and you'll get a missile down your throat," She smiled, making a gun shape with her hand and firing it, "Still, dad and I agree it was to rapid and not to mention they had Evac zones ready and they are now acting like nothing big happened,"

"That's right," Zakuro stepped forward, getting everyone's attention, "On the way here, many of the damaged roads are cleaned, setting down new road and everyone is back at their homes. People have been told to go to work, its almost like they want us to carry on a façade of ignorant peace," Zakuro mused.

"We think they don't want anyone outside to know and so they know more than they are letting onto," Fry said, "I came here to see if you were still alive and to tell you our suspicions and the success of the Mew Project," She said to Keiichiro and Ryou, "Since we never know if you receive our messages so Ryou, Kei, please keep in contact. I'll be heading back tonight,"

"Will do," Keiichiro smiled, "Thanks for that Fry, it is good to see you again," Keiichiro smiled, "Give my regards to your father and mother when you return," Fry nodded and then turned to Ryou, glancing back at the girls then to him.

"So what else haven't you told them? Didn't tell them about me nor the others," Fry poked Ryou, the fact clearly bothering her, "About the research? The relics and artifacts?"

"What? You have artifacts of what?" Ichigo stepped forward, "Tell us!"

"Fry!" Ryou hissed, his blood starting to boil, his inner cat yowling with feverish panic. He could feel quivering jolts along his spine as he realised that Fry would know everything about the Mew Project due to her parents. She would know about the ruins, about the artifacts, about how long they have known about this and the effects of the Mew Project along with its final outcome.

"Shirogane!" Ichigo stepped forward, slamming her foot down, "We are a part of this project so its only fair you tell us everything!" She lowered her head as her ears slowly slid up her head, turning into her soft cat ears. Ryou bit his tongue, his sharp teeth piercing into it slightly. Slowly the other girls stood beside her, supporting their leader.

"Shirogane-san, please tell us. We need to understand everything after all... Last night around 80 000 000 people lost their lives so far. We can't let that happen again, please tell us…" Lettuce pleaded. Keiichiro looked at them, holding his breath as he looked at Ryou.

"Ryou… I think its time to tell them the effects of the Mew Project and the true outcome we want to achieve," Keiichiro quietly said, "We've hidden it for to long…" Lettuce's and Ichigo's gut turned, rolling over violently as their mind exploded with strange outcomes as Ryou looked away weakly, "Right now, your two DNA's co-exists. However, as you have already found out, your animal DNA can spike, normally with heightened emotions but the real reason it does that is because your two DNA are fighting each other. The injected DNA is foreign material so it's trying to get rid of it. However…" Keiichiro stopped, his eyes searching for an ending to his statement.

"One day, both your DNA will fuse together," Ryou said despondently and silence rang throughout the underground lab, "You won't be human anymore, you'll be a Mew forever," Ryou finished. He waited for the explosion as the girls looked on, for a second, he thought he was alone in the room and there wouldn't be an explosion but then it came.

"Y… You said if we deal with the aliens… It would go away…" Ichigo's words trembled hysterically. Her eyes rapidly flicked from Ryou to Keiichiro, glistening from tears, "If we deal with them quickly before then than w-"

"I lied about that…" Ryou gave up, dropping his head, "You will become a Mew, not matter what. If you refuse and resist the DNA like you are now Ichigo, you will only delay the fusion. If you embrace the DNA, it will happen sooner and smoother,"

"Why didn't you tell us? Why keep us in the dark!" Ichigo trembled uncontrollably, her innards melting away to leave her as a fragile shell.

'Aoyama-kun knew it was me… At least before I could have finished this fight so I couldn't be a Mew Mew but now… Now…' Ichigo's thoughts flew by her at an insane pace. Lettuce and Hitomi walked forward to support her however before they reached her, Ichigo fell to the ground, "Why? WHY ME?" Ichigo screamed hoarsely at Ryou as her tears fell down her face. Ryou couldn't look at her but her accusing screams and cries were agony, ripping at his ears.

"They didn't pick you," Fry said softly to Ichigo as Lettuce and Hitomi knelt beside their friend, "It was fate that picked you," Fry soothed and Lettuce understood what Ryou went before.

'Fry has dealt with this before… I wonder how many times? Did her whole team act like this?' She wondered as Ichigo trembled beside her, sobbing her eyes out.

"No! NO!" Ichigo screamed, ripping herself from her two friends and from Fry's gaze. Lettuce tried to reach out but Ichigo gave her a horrified gaze, like the one she gave Lettuce when she thought she was a Chimera Anima. Then with inhuman speed, she pelted out of the Café, fleeing from the 'fate' that had been slammed on her.

"Ichigo-san!" Lettuce cried out but she only heard the backdoor slam in response. Lettuce wasn't sure whether to follow her friend but she suddenly felt small and powerless. She knew, along with the others that right now, Ichigo wouldn't listen to them nor give them the chance to talk to her. Ryou's head dropped and he walked over to his large leather chair slumped down in it, curling up like a defenseless child.

"I'm sorry…" Keiichiro started, looking just as defeated as Ryou when Mint made a small hum, stopping Keiichiro.

"It was obvious really," Mint looked back at Zakuro and Hitomi who nodded in response. Keiichiro gawked at them in amazement, his eyes flicking over the three girls.

"How?"

"Like I said when I first came here, I could see that their aura, Ki, had changed. It was still uniquely theirs but it was melded with another's. I knew from the start that everyone," Hitomi paused, her eyes flicking over to Ryou quickly, "wasn't really human anymore,"

"It was obvious as well, after all, what DNA can just disappear after an event?" Zakuro added, "Once it was injected, once your DNA is tampered with, it's eternal. That's why I was… uncooperative at first…" Zakuro closed her eyes as she picked a formal word for her rebellious nature.

"Pudding will become a monkey forever na no da! When na no da!" Pudding jumped from Lettuce's back and jumped around Keiichiro.

"You're not mad with us?" Keiichiro asked, his charming smile returning.

"At first, a little upset but like Ryou said before, everything is different now," Mint nodded towards Ryou who was still curled up in his chair. Lettuce sighed, walking over to the dejected teenager. He was gazing off to another world, his eyes dark with misty emotions.

'So he knew from the start and he didn't tell us because he was scared, frightened of the outcome? He has been hiding this for our benefit? All of that stress, worry and responsibly?' She wondered, respecting Ryou even more.

However… This wasn't Ryou. The logical, strong leader... A bit pompous but certain in his abilities… Not this. Wallowing in dark memories and guilt, unable to say anything and hugging himself into a fetal position.

"Shirogane-san?" Lettuce tried to get his attention, she wasn't sure that she had it at first but she then saw his blue eyes land on her, "Don't worry about Ichigo-san, she'll pull through in the end after all, Mint-san, Hitomi-san, Zakuro-san and Pudding-san don't hate you, they have accepted this fate and… I don't hate you either," She glanced off to the side shyly and then she realised that the others were watching her intently. She jumped back a little and at this Keiichiro around and ushered the others and himself out of the room.

"What's wrong with Shirogane Onii-chan na no da?" Pudding echoed as Fry raised an eyebrow, watching them.

"I think the real question is what's going on over there?" Fry smiled as she left the room, Hitomi and Mint whispering to her. Lettuce felt like a spotlight was shining still as Keiichiro winked at her before he vacated the labs.

'Does everyone think something is going on?' She sighed, opening her eyes to find that Ryou had shifted his body closer to her and was watching her closely, waiting for her words.

"This isn't you… We need you. We need Shirogane-san," Lettuce mumbled quietly, all of her confidence in her words turning to embarrassment, "So please don't be like this…" Ryou then looked down, pondering something in his mind before Lettuce felt his hand wrap around her wrist and drag her closer to him. From his touch, she erupted in heat, scorching her cheeks and ears, burning them. His other hand gently held hers, his thumb stroking her knuckles subconsciously. She was amazed at how much warmer and larger his hand was compared to hers when her thoughts started to return. She then noticed how quickly her heart turned into a jackhammer, thumping loudly in her ears and melting her into putty. She just wanted to fall down into a puddle to bask in the warmth that radiated from her skin. Ryou let his forehead fall on her arm, his breath fluttering over Lettuce's skin lightly, creating small goosebumps on her arms. His hair was incredibly soft, almost tickling her skin and the texture reminded her of that gray cat's fur from the other night. After a pause, Ryou furrowed his brow and heaved a disgruntled sigh.

"I'm… I'm sorry Lettuce, for all of this…" Ryou mumbled. Lettuce blinked at this, looking down at him however he continued to hide his face from her.

"What?," Lettuce echoed and Ryou sighed heavily again. He cleared his throat to try distract himself from his aching and throbbing chest.

"Keiichiro said that I better apologise for how I acted before…" He bluntly admitted, "He said that you might think I was mad at you be-" He shook his head, clearing his throat again, "I'm sorry for takin- killing your humanity," Ryou apologised. Lettuce couldn't think of what to say, a silence settling around the two. Ryou let out a loud breath, his forehead sliding down her arm in defeat when Lettuce swallowed nervously, kneeling down beside him. Ryou pulled away to look at her in puzzlement as she shifted towards him. She hesitantly pressed her forehead against his and gave him a timid yet honest smile.

"Don't say that," Lettuce mumbled, "You didn't do that. You gave me another life and for that, I'm grateful Shirogane-san," She smiled. Ryou's face dropped a little, his brow furrowing again at her words. She gasped internally, wondering if she had stepped over a barrier as Ryou flinched back a little, frowning as he pondered something. He looked up at Lettuce again, his eyes burning into her as he observed her again.

"You're too kind Lettuce," He laughed dryly, shaking his head. Lettuce's eyes widened before she softened up again, shaking her head.

"I'm not Shirogane-san. Thank you so much, if you hadn't done this… Well, we would all be in danger. Who knows what would have happened? If I wasn't a Mew Mew… I wouldn't have met the Ichigo-san, Mint-san, Zakuro-san, Pudding-san, Hitomi-san… Everyone… And… That includes you," Lettuce smiled, her cheeks painted in a subtle blush, "I'm glad that I met you Shirogane-san,"

"Damn," Ryou breathed, closing his eyes and biting his lip. Lettuce started to shy away from him when his hand shot out, grabbing her chin roughly. She gasped when he pulled her quickly towards him. She inhaled abruptly as her lips crashed into his with a tone of pent up urgency. Her fingers squirmed as her heart thundered, stampeding in her chest as his other hand dug its way into her hair. She tried to keep her logical thoughts however she couldn't process a single thought except the feel of his lips, his heat and intensity. However as soon as it happened he rapidly pulled away, springing out of his chair while vexingly clawing his scalp, "God… Damn..." He vexed, starting to pace around but Lettuce remained kneeling down, her face bright red as she tried to apprehend what happened. Ryou stopped eventually, standing awkwardly to one side to hide his 'eagerness', "I'm… Ah damn, I didn't mean to… Just, pretend- Gahh!" Ryou groaned.

"Ah…" Lettuce fumbled with her response, "I'm sorry…" She said as she stood up.

"Damn, I'm so sorry Lettuce…" Ryou repeated as an awkward silence settled over them, "Sorry, I just gotta figure myself out," Ryou told her, starting to walk to the door but he stopped, turning around to face her, "Before… that…" He waved his arms around, timidly gazing off to the side, "Thank you, you're right… As you can tell, I'm just…" He rubbed the bridge of his nose and his eyelids, "I'm not myself. You better go home, you're brother is probably worried right?" Ryou said in an attempt to change the subject. Lettuce nodded, picking up on the welcome distraction.

"Yeah, I better check on him," Lettuce nodded, walking out with Ryou, however keeping a distance between herself and Ryou, "Shirogane-san, don't worry about Ichigo-san… She'll be okay,"

* * *

Yūshin shifted in uncomfortable suspense, her purple eyes on the middle-aged woman sitting behind her unnaturally tidy desk. The computer hummed endlessly while her deep black eyes read through the document. Slowly her brow lowered, wrinkles appearing on her forehead and Yūshin sat still waiting for the social worker's next move. Her hands curled into fists as she wondered how to go about the worker's next move.

'I have to play it right if I want to help Pudding-chan… If I fail at this then…'

"Where did you find this document?" The woman heckled as she scanned the document to check its formality. However the official signatures only screamed the truth on each page, "Why weren't we told of this? Why do you only have it now?" Yūshin sat in the chair opposite the desk and looked the social worker in the eye, taking a deep breath.

"You should be telling me why it was never sent back to me. The document was sent over to Aquis China to get Fong's signature. After this, the document failed to return to Aquis Japan. When it did come back, Fong-san had been deceased for over a year. Why didn't it come in time?" Yūshin asked the social worker. She looked at her, apprehensiveness in her dark eyes before she looked off to the side in a rude manner.

"We have been stationed here, not back in China. If it was not mailed properly, that is not fault," She snorted.

"However, you would have known about Fong-san's wishes? It is clearly written in the document by both parties," Yūshin kept the strength in her voice as she continued to bombard the social worker, "You are known infamously for your strict laws on immigration, I wouldn't disregard the fact that you could've believed that the Fong family belonged back in Aquis China,"

"Those are some big conclusions there Yūshin sensei. They did originate from China and we need to look after our own. If that's back where their father is then, isn't it for the best?" She retaliated.

"That isn't what Fong-san wanted that. You know that. Her wishes must be respected and so are the wishes of Pudding-chan," Yūshin continued, "Their father is oversea on a visa. He hasn't moved back and he will return. The children need a guardian. Isn't it better if the Fong children get looked after by a caring paternal figure than be in a orphanage while their guardian and father are still alive?" Yūshin pushed her brown hair behind her ear as the social worker fell silent. She grumbled before she dived into a file and stamped a few papers. She then pulled out a handful of forms and threw them across the table to Yūshin. The social worker spun around to face her computer and she started to type furiously. Yūshin flicked through the application forms that the woman had brashly given her.

"Fill out the files as soon as possible and return to the department on the next working day when we aren't being attacked," She sarcastically groaned, "You must go over each one with the Fong family and have them fill out their appropriate page and form. After that, bring in identification of yourself and each child. After an interview, you will be the official legal guardian for the Fong children. We will check on you once every six months randomly to make sure the children are in good health and are well cared for," The social worker explained before giving all of her attention to the computer. Yuna Yūshin smiled at her large victory, her heart fluttering as she gathered up the papers. She bowed to the social worker who couldn't care less and walked out of the building. She looked around at the clean up effort, amazed at the work done in half a day. The wrecked vehicles had been towed away and road workers were redirecting traffic as his team pulled out ruined slabs of tarmac and placing down new tarmac. Yūshin continued to walk back to the school, observing the change since the NightFall. The media swarmed over the area, pulling over anyone to get their recount and opinion on the attack.

'They want us to carry on like normal but…' She thought to herself, remembering the social worker's words. Yuna passed a group of young woman who were placing flowers around a pole, holding their heads in their hands as they cried for a lost friend. Yuna Yūshin walked by quickly, her heart tugged at the scene when she came across a large shop window littered with photos of over fifty people who were now missing. Yuna stopped, frozen at the sight while a radio broadcast reported all of the deaths and damages so far to Aquis Tokyo. She closed her eyes, silently praying for those passed on before walking away.

'I wonder… How many of my students have been effected by this?' She wondered as she stopped to wait for the traffic lights. She observed the cars zooming by, the occasional car was full of bags and objects. Her eyes followed a car, watching it drive away to the highway that led directly away from Aquis Tokyo. Finally the lights changed, allowing her to cross. She wrapped her arms around her small body, thinking of what to say to Pudding when she then slammed into a tall, heavy and solid body.

"Ah! I'm so sorry!" She cried as she stepped back, bowing to the man who bowed in return before taking a step forward in a line of women and men. Yuna looked down the line and curiously followed it to its source and stopped dead at an U.A.G Military recruitment area.

'They want us to carry on as normal but we are at war now… Nothing is the same anymore. Pudding-chan needs someone to look after her desperately and now, I can finally do that,'

* * *

**ZoeyHoshi:** I re-read this several times. Spent hours on discussing this with my 'editor' and fine-tuning it. Hopefully all of that effort will pay off. On to the last chapter.


	39. Bell

**Author's Note: **Thank god for Macca's free wi-fi. That out of the way…

**Thank you so much for you support through The Mew Project**. This was a project to see if my stories would be received well on and I can say that I didn't expect this! So the story will continue in its sequel, The Mew Project : Aquisfera! Thank you everyone!

**Note:** I am Australian, and we have alternative ways of spelling certain words from America. Eg. Mum/Mom, -ise/-ize etc.

Every artist needs opinions and loves to listen to them. Please, leave behind constructive criticisms and/or thoughts on the chapters. If you think there is something wrong with the chapter, I implore you, please explain _why_ and even suggest options and ideas for me to improve the next chapter. Even though I love writing and this is truly just writing down a world that is playing out in my head, I do want to improve my skill and see that people enjoy themselves.

_**Thank you.**_

* * *

**Chapter 39: Bell**

The wet patches on Ichigo's white pillow had started to dry in the afternoon sun that streamed through her window. She nuzzled into her pillow more, allowing herself to be drenched in the welcoming darkness of sleep. The little red alarm clock ticked away infinitely and Masha mechanical whirling sounds matched it as he dozed beside it. Sakura opened the door quietly as if Ichigo was still a baby, fearing to wake her up. She poked her head through to find her daughter still in her white and red dress that she put on this morning, her blanket strew over the floor. Sakura walked in and sat down beside her daughter, watching her sleep before she started the stroke her daughter's shoulder gently. Ichigo's eyes slowly fluttered open and she drowsily lifted her head up and turned to her mother. Ichigo glanced down, blinking slowly as memories floated to the surface. Sakura reached out to her daughter and pulled her into her tight embrace after sensing her distress.

"Mum, why did this have to happen?" Ichigo croaked. Her mother instantly thought she was referring to the NightFall however Ryou and Fry's words echoed in Ichigo's mind, "How can we just accept something as just 'fate' and carry on with our lives?" She moaned before resting her head against her mother's neck. Sakura hummed, her brown eyes looking around her daughter's room before she looked down at Ichigo.

"Things happen, bad and good. I had you, I could have had a restless boy that wanted to run off and join the military today," Sakura laughed, creating a smile on Ichigo's face, "If we dwell on the past it clouds how we see tomorrow. If you keep thinking about what you could have done and what has happened to us you should be taking in the moment. One day at a time," She smiled, Ichigo looked up at her, clearing her sore throat before talking.

"What are you thinking about then?" She asked her mother.

"Thinking about seeing if I can get my mother here so I can make sure she is okay. I'll have to go down to the shops and get something for dinner too, I left the fish out last night after going to the evac point. Make sure that your dad isn't thinking of doing anything rash and make sure my daughter isn't crying," She listed, "Yes, I'll have to upgrade our security, get a generator maybe and get a better car incase we have to move quickly but take one day at a time sweetheart," Ichigo smiled at her mother, "What are you going to do today then?" She asked. Ichigo looked around her room and sighed.

"I guess… Probably apologise to my boss," Ichigo sighed before she looked at her calendar and froze up, "Today is the Kendo tournament…" She mumbled and her mother glanced at the calendar before looking at her.

"Aoyama-kun competing isn't he?" She asked and Ichigo nodded before curling into her mother some more. She arched an eyebrow at her daughter as Ichigo made an uncertain, apprehensive sound.

"Mum, you would love me no matter who I was right?" She asked and Sakura was a bit taken back at the question however she quickly recovered and wrapped her arms around her daughter tightly.

"Of course I do, you're my daughter. Your family and true friends will love you no matter what sweetheart. However you are Ichigo and you will always be Ichigo. Nothing will change that,"

* * *

"Surprisingly he is a recovering quickly despite having such a high level of carbon monoxide in his blood. However he is already showing the effects of the poisoning," The doctor reported outside the hospital ward, scanning through the patient's notes.

"How bad is it?" Keiichiro inquired.

"When we asked for his full name, address and name of his parents and other details, he couldn't. He has no memories up until last night. His responses are delayed and he has muted reactions and has reported some irritations and abnormalities in his eyesight," Hitomi nudged Keiichiro slightly at that statement, "He is quiet and very unsocial. The effects on his development is unknown right now," The doctor sighed, "He isn't the only one with acute poisoning though,"

"So, who is he?" Keiichiro asked him politely.

"It took us a while but we found his file. Yaso Nanachi, eight years old. However we also found out that his parents… Didn't make it. The hazy memories of last night could also be a psychological effect. After a week, he'll be moving into the orphanage,"

"May we speak with him alone?" Keiichiro asked, the doctor nodded and allowed them inside. The red-head boy was flicking through a national geographic magazine, his food untouched and his windows wide open. Keiichiro pulled up a chair for himself and Hitomi and Yaso slowly looked up at the two.

"Hello Yaso-kun," Hitomi started, their identical eyes landing on each other, "Do you remember me?"

"Yes, you were that girl from last night, with the Mew Mew," Yaso whispered, clearly recalling her. Keiichiro immediately understood what the doctor meant. Yaso's voice didn't change, no tone in his voice what so ever. He didn't seem like an eight-year-old child.

"You're right… He has the same eyes as you," Keiichiro breathed, "Yaso-kun, Hitomi-san found you at the Cherry Blossom tree last night, do you remember that?" Keiichiro asked and he slowly nodded, "Why did you go there?"

"The tree was weird, it looked sick," Yaso quietly said, "No one here believes me…" He murmured dejectedly.

"Yaso-kun, you are right," Hitomi smiled, "That tree was sick," She then looked around before lowering her voice more, "You're special Yaso-kun. You're like me and we are needed to protect Aquisfera," Hitomi explained, with each word, Yaso's green and red eyes lit up.

'Thank goodness. He still is childish and isn't entirely like the doctor said,' Keiichiro breathed, smiling at the boy would was just called a 'superhero'.

"Will you help us?" Hitomi asked him. Yaso quickly nodded before Hitomi glanced at Keiichiro.

"Akasaka-san… This is a big request…"

* * *

"I can't believe it, a day after an invasion and the most important thing on my and all of my school's mind is a kendo tournament!" Ichigo said aloud to Masha as she ran down the street. He just purred in agreement as they approached the school. Ichigo was amazed to see how it wasn't touched at all, the banners and tents still pitched up for the school clubs, "Masha, can you found anyone here?" Ichigo whispered to the little keychain mascot. Masha scanned around as Ichigo dived through the crowds of people. She arrived at the quadrangle and found a table full of flowers and burning incense. Ichigo took a few steps towards it to read the sign in front of it, naming two second year student who died during the NightFall. Ichigo's chest felt tight as Ryou's words echoed through her mind.

'Things won't be the same ever again… No matter what, I'll never go back to that carefree life…' Ichigo thought, looking down at the ground as her mind went into another internal debate about what to do. Masha then fluttered up beside her ear, still in his keychain form.

"Ichigo, found friend! Around back of gymnasium!" Masha whispered quietly. Ichigo snapped her head up, softly snuggling Masha before spinning around and heading to the gymnasium like she would during a normal school day. There were crowds of people on the walkways, heading up to the gym to watch the next match for the girls. Ichigo dived around to the back of the gym, searching for Moe or Miwa however she didn't expect to see Masaya, in his Kendo outfit leaning against the wall in deep thought. Ichigo skidded to a halt, her pink eyes falling on Masaya's brown as he gazed back at her. Even though she talked to her mother about taking one step at a time, all of the past events flooded her memory.

"Momomiya-san?" He called out, seeing her shocked and frightened expression, just the same as Mew Ichigo's last night. Ichigo shook her head as Masaya took a step towards her. She wanted to step forward but her body screamed with paradoxical emotions. Her throat felt frozen and her legs trembled, she closed her eyes, beginning to water in fear and frustration at herself. She quick spun around and her legs sprung her into a sprint, putting as much distance between her and Masaya as possible. Masaya however didn't falter for a second, leaving behind his Kendo bamboo stick to chase after her.

"Why am I running away from him? I could have pulled this off, talked to him but this is just putting myself into a harder situation! This is just reaffirming his conclusion! By friend Masha, I didn't mean Aoyama-kun!" Ichigo wailed to Masha who peeped an apology. Ichigo stopped as she entered the main school building, huffing to get her breath back.

"Momomiya-san! What's wrong?" Masaya called out as he walked into the building. Ichigo shot up instantly and continuing running deeper into the building. She however wasn't aware of yellow eyes that were intently watching the raven-haired boy behind her. Kish floated around the school before smashing through a classroom window, jumping into the room with a small, immature Para Paban following him.

"Kill the boy, dispatch of the girl," Kish ordered it, preparing the ambush as Ichigo ran up the staircase.

"Momomiya-san? Why are you running from me?" Masaya called out however Ichigo did not stop, "ICHIGO!" He screamed out in desperation. Ichigo's heart jumped as she heard him call her by her first name, immediately stopping. Masaya ran up to her and his hands roughly grabbed her shoulders to spin her around, staring into her eyes to observe her expression. She couldn't move, she couldn't think as Masaya ducked his head down to regain his breath. Ichigo knew she had to say something when she heard a growl of a Para Paban. The door next to them ripped open, splintering as the immature Para Paban tore through it and in an heartbeat had pinned Masaya down. The Para Paban whipped its tail around and slammed Ichigo in the stomach. She felt like someone had slammed a wooden pole into her stomach as she tumbled backwards down the corridor. Masaya groaned as the heavy pressure of the monster crushed down on him. He flailed his arms around, trying to push it off him but it just snarled in response.

"Aoyama-kun!" Ichigo cried out as she tried to pushed herself to her knees.

"Ichigo! Run! GET HELP!" Masaya cried out to her, "Don't come any closer!" He then bellowed in pain as the Para Paban slid off him and clamped its jaws around his shoulder.

"Bring him to me," Kish called from inside the room, the Para Paban tossed Masaya in the room before sliding in the room.

'I have to save him. I could have lost him last night and I'm not going to today,' Ichigo dug the pendent from her pocket and kissed it without another thought, 'Take one thing at a time. Save Aoyama-kun,' She told herself as she transformed into Mew Ichigo. She opened a window from the hallway and sat herself on it, glancing up at the roof above.

"I hope I can pull this off Masha," She said as she slowly put brought her feet on the window and stood up, clawing at the edge of the roof. She then swung her feet up to the top of the windowsill and pushed herself onto the roof. She ran across roof to the classroom, using Masaya's disturbing screams of pain as a torturous guide. She knelt down and braced herself, "Masha, I should be able to break a window right?" She asked her friend but Masha just peeped in response. Mew Ichigo moaned, her hands shivering in self-doubt as she spun around, her hands gripping onto the roof's edge for dear life. She closed her eyes and by using her arms, swung her body from the roof and braced her legs. Mew Ichigo prepared for the impact on the glass however it shattered as her weight slammed into it. She let go, throwing herself into the room, landing feet first clumsily as she shock with adrenaline.

'I can't believe I pulled that off!' She thought before realising at a window was already broken. She stood up, finding the Para Paban's tail coiled around Masaya, lifting him from the ground. Kish floated in the air next to Masaya's body, his Dragon Swords gliding over his cheek before he turned to Mew Ichigo. Masaya's face was twisted with pain, his mouth open in throes of intense pain. Mew Ichigo had seen this the other night but then, Masaya wasn't in any pain, he wasn't harmed at all but now, seeing him fragile and death's shadow over him, it sickened Mew Ichigo.

"Amazing entrance there kitten. You appeared here quickly… So I was right," He growled at Masaya, pulling away his Dragon Swords from Masaya's cheek. Masaya opened his watering eyes from extreme panic and letting out a strained croak in an attempt to speak to her however the Para Paban snarled, tightening his tail to squeeze out his breath slowly.

"Let him go!" Mew Ichigo commanded, "Strawberry Bell!" With a flick of her tail, she grasped the Strawberry Bell and charged at the Para Paban. Kish smirked, teleporting out of her way and appeared behind her, dropping his sai and grabbed his thin hands around her wrist. Mew Ichigo yowled as he violently pulled her back, using one hand to restrain her. He smiled at her yowl and trembling before he used his other hand to grab her hair and twist her around to face him. Masaya made a protesting gasp however it was cut off into a gargle. Kish smirked at him triumphantly before cupping Mew Ichigo's chin roughly and forced her to stare him in the eye.

"He means something to you? This pitiful human?" Kish asked her and with his words the Para Paban snarled at Masaya, feeling him twitch in pain. Mew Ichigo watched, her eyes wide when Kish yanked her face towards him again, "Look at me!" He said in a brusque manner, the Mew flinching at his harsh tone, "I love that look. Fear, uncertainty… It makes me feel so strong and powerful however, it's nothing like your eyes when they are full of heated power and defiance. It makes me so excited," He rumbled but his eyes darkened and he grabbed her cheeks, making her lips pout out as he shifted closer to her, "Why this human? What does he mean to you?"

"I dwot hav' to tell ywou," Mew Ichigo glared at him, trying to talk through her lips and Kish rumbled deeply in his throat.

"He is special to you. Why else would you snap like that last night?" Kish inquired and grinned at her loss for words, her body going a little lax in his hold, "I don't understand it at all kitten," Kish lamely laughed, shaking his head before turning to the Para Paban. It understood his silent command and he tightened his hold. Masaya's breath was forcefully pushed from his lungs, his bones straining with the pressure around his chest. He tried to flail, struggling for air, his blood screaming for it. He let out a loud, draw-out, pain-filled croak.

"You bastard… Don't you hurt him!" She growled, her ears flattening. She attempted to yank herself from his grasp but Kish held his grip on her and pondered her statement before giggling boyishly and darkly.

"I'll make a deal with you then," He whispered to her. Mew Ichigo looked at him, looking back at Masaya and then to Kish, "I'll let him go and I won't hunt him ever again but in return I want one thing," Kish uttered with a rapacious growl added, "You, be mine," He then moved her towards him, his lips inching closer to hers. She felt trapped under his glowing yellow eyes, she tried to jerk her hands out of his grasp but he only dug his nails into her skin in response.

"DON'T YOU TOUCH HER!" Masaya screamed, inhumanly roared. Suddenly a light exploded around him for a nanosecond and the Para Paban shrieked with terror and agony. Kish and Mew Ichigo watched as it acted like it was burned and critically injured, letting go of Masaya quickly, letting his body drop heavily to the ground before slithering away to the corner of the room, curling around itself and howling in pain. Kish's grip softened slightly as he bit down in heated bafflement. Mew Ichigo screamed loudly, ripping her head away from Kish's and yanking away from his hold. She ran over to Masaya, kneeling beside his trembling and weak body.

"Aoyama-kun… Are you okay?" Mew Ichigo asked him as Masaya looked up at her, his chest violently rising and falling. Kish gave the two a death stare as Masaya reached out to touch her however the immature Para Paban sensed his master's displeasure and so he snarled, opening its mouth and launched a beam of scorching light directly at them.

"Ribbon Strawberry Bubble!" Mew Ichigo, flicked it up and quickly covered the two of them from harm. It held out easily against the juvenile Para Paban's attack, giving her time to try to plan how to deal with the Para Paban while protecting Masaya and avoiding Kish's violent advances. Masaya pushed himself up to look at Mew Ichigo's stern expression before looking at Kish's sinister glare.

'She's trying so hard to protect me, she could easy die or…' His thoughts stopped as he watched Kish floating in the centre of the room, just waiting for his next opportunity to attack her, 'Ichigo, I told you to run away!' He thought loudly. He reached out and covered one of her hands. Mew Ichigo flinched, glancing down to see Masaya's brown eyes shining warmly at her, glittering with a powerful blue tone underneath. Mew Ichigo could feel his warmth invade her body, seeping through her skin. It spread like a tide through her blood, sliding under her skin. She felt the power in her body increase tenfold, a beautiful and relaxing blue light overtaking the Strawberry Bubble. Kish floated back, picking up his sais as he watched the shield around them grow before shattering instantaneously. Kish protected his face from the hot shards of the Strawberry Bubble, feeling them ripple and shoot by his body. Mew Ichigo closed her eyes, overwhelmed by this feeling, subconsciously hearing the Para Paban shriek in pain. She looked down at Masaya again as he went limp, falling to the floor with a thump.

'I could have lost him,' Mew Ichigo thought to herself, her mind suddenly clear of doubt and anxiety, 'If I wasn't a Mew Mew, he would be gone. I would never get to kiss him again, to be with him and see his smile. If he knows I'm a Mew Mew, then there is nothing I can do. However I will protect him no matter what,' She then stood up, staring at Kish, 'No one will harm him as long as I'm Mew Ichigo,'

"That power…" Kish stuttered as Mew Ichigo turned to him, her aura bursting with blue energy, "Where?"

"Become yours…" Mew Ichigo ignored him, referring to his deal, "How many times do I have to beat it into you?" Kish flinched at her tone as she wiped a single tear from her fiery eyes, "I'll never give in to you! Never!" Mew Ichigo roared, her fur standing up on end and baring her long teeth. She flicked the Strawberry Bell up into her grasp and turned to the Para Paban which was wailing in agony, "Ribbon Strawberry Check!" She yelled, effortlessly swinging her Strawberry Bell, throwing a beam of light to the Para Paban. It ripped through and surrounded it, choking it down, shrinking it to the size of a Para Para. Masha then flew over, gobbling it up quickly. Mew Ichigo snorted and stepped towards Kish, threatening him with her Strawberry Bell. Kish was giving her a wide-eyed, frantic look as she single handedly defeated one of their strongest monsters. He then huffed once, giving her a strange glance.

"Heh, if I fought you now, you might actually win…" Kish told her. Mew Ichigo frowned, still aiming her Strawberry Bell at him, "That power wasn't yours, where did it come from?" He asked her.

"If I knew, I wouldn't even tell you," Mew Ichigo snarled, hatred dripping on each word. Kish laughed in joy, it disturbed Mew Ichigo however he then winked at her, teleporting away in strands of purple light. Mew Ichigo took several deep breaths, letting her anger drain away before Masaya's groan brought her into the present. She spun around and watched Masaya push himself onto a sitting position, the ring of Ichigo's tail bell brought his eyes to hers. She sighed as she flicked her ears in response, "You better take it easy. Luckily your injuries weren't too bad," She said as Masaya shifted, his eyes distant before he spoke out.

"You're name is Ichigo isn't it? Mew Ichigo? Sorry if I scared you last night… I was just…" He croaked before he had coughing fit. Mew Ichigo smiled, relief exploding in her gut at his words.

'He doesn't know? He was just talking to 'Mew Ichigo'?' She nodded to him, running over to the window.

"Mew Ichigo, I serve for our planet's future nyan," She meowed before she jumped up and pushed herself onto the roof and away from his view. Masaya pushed himself up and stumbled to the window, carefully stepping around the broken glass on the floor and gazed around.

Mew Ichigo furiously ran back to the open window, flipping herself into the hallway. She tore off her Mew Pendent and transformed back. She slid over the ground before letting herself fall limply on the ground, closing her eyes as she waited for Masaya to walk out of the classroom.

"Ichigo, are you okay?" He called out a few seconds later, running up to her as fast as he could and then knelt beside her. Ichigo tried her best to act the part, holding onto her sore stomach and groaning.

"I should be asking if you're okay Aoyama-kun," Ichigo replied. Masaya's eyes flicked to the open window before settling on her eyes again.

'She doesn't want me to know about her being Mew Ichigo, that's obvious,' He sighed to himself, 'The alien doesn't know about her true identity at least…' He looked down at her again, scooping her into his arms. She blushed insanely, her lips trembling as she was pulled closer to his body, 'If I want to be with Ichigo, then I have to play the part of the oblivious boyfriend, pretend I can't tell along with the masses that she is Mew Ichigo while she continues to pretend she is just a normal teenage girl…' He sighed however he took a breath, storing away his dark thoughts and focused on the girl in front of him, 'I could have lost her again. I don't want to waste a single second with her,'

* * *

"You did so well Aoyama-kun! We will definitely win because of you," Ichigo smiled as Masaya walked out of the backdoor to the gym. Despite his injuries, Masaya pushed on to compete and performed brilliantly even with his handicap. He smiled at her, shaking his head as he led her out of the vacant school.

"No, everyone pulled their weight. If we will it's because of everyone but thank you," He responded as they walked to the quadrangle and the memorial, where remains of old incense sticks sat in a burnt pile. Masaya walked over to it, "Two students…" Masaya sighed as he approached the table, picking up some incense and lighting it, "I feel selfish right now…" Masaya admitted, Ichigo titled her head at his statement, "Here I am, healthy, not a bit of carbon monoxide poisoning even though I was so close to the city and here I am… Playing kendo. These two lost their lives and here I am, wasting mine…" Masaya mused dimly.

"You're not wasting it," Ichigo shook her head as they left the memorial and continued to the gate, "Today my mum said that you have to focus on the present, not wonder about what could've happened in the past or what could have been different," Ichigo recited her mother and Masaya echoed it in his mind, his hand diving into his pocket. His fingers touched a small ball and his chest tightened. He glanced over at Ichigo before he reached for her hand. She gasped a little as Masaya led her away from the semi-crowded front of the school to the back ovals.

"What? What is it?" Ichigo asked. Masaya stopped and turned to face her, his face serious as he stared at her.

"That's true… What your mother said and I was thinking…" He started before looking down, trying to gather his words and courage, "We are in a war now. Who knows what day would be our last?"

"Don't say that," Ichigo cut in but Masaya put a finger on her lips to silence her, stepping closer to her to fill the gap between them. Ichigo was silent, his hand gliding over her skin so he cupped her cheek.

"If there is a chance of dying, I don't want to regret not doing anything," He whispered to her while he carefully pulled something out of his pocket. He hesitated a little, his heart fluttering as he kissed her and skillfully put the little trinket around her neck. Luckily, Ichigo's thought processes were only registering one thing so she did not notice it at all. Her brain exploded with one, incoherent phrase repeating endlessly as she felt his lips on hers. It wasn't the first time they had kiss, but this was the first intentional kiss. He was overflowing with warmth and kindness, it melted Ichigo's thoughts in a second and continued to boil her blood. She could only pray that she would stay human as her heart pummeled in her chest until he pulled away, ringing a bell attached to her neck by a red ribbon.

"Huh?" Ichigo echoed as she touched the little golden bell around her neck, hearing it ring, "What's this?"

"My present to you. Since sometimes I can't find you or you run away," He laughed, getting a little embarrassed pout out of Ichigo. He then relaxed except for a subtle blush on his cheek as he rubbed the back of his neck, "It's a custom for a boyfriend right?" He asked however at the word 'boyfriend' Ichigo shuddered, her mouth gapping open at that word.

"Aoyama-kun…" She murmured as she found herself in his embrace, staring vacantly as she listened to every word.

"I love you Ichigo. I could have lost you yesterday and I don't want that feeling ever again. I can't lose my cat after all," Ichigo then jumped at little at that statement until she heard him chuckle. If it wasn't for the left over power that was surging inside her, her mind would be a muddled mess, the events flying by her as if she was in a dream.

'He felt the same way about me. He doesn't want to lose me. He loves me. Aoyama-kun loves me…'

"I love you too," Ichigo murmured quietly and Masaya let out a relieved sigh.

"I'll try to not sound possessive," Masaya smiled as he pulled away to point at her bell again, "But this is also to show everyone, including yourself, just who you belong to. You're mine Ichigo," He whispered huskily to her.

* * *

"She hasn't left! I know that much!" Ryou yelled out to Keiichiro and Fry as he frantically searched the ground floor of the café. Keiichiro ran down the staircase, joining him. Keiichiro shook his head at Ryou, his eyes glittering with panic before joining his search.

"She ain't in your bedroom," Fry called out, "Like your superman underpants," She added.

"This isn't the time!" Ryou yelled at her.

"Calm down," Fry said as she skipped downstairs to join them, "She is injured beyond belief. She can't have left without opening her wounds," Fry told him. Ryou just ran down into the basement without another word, getting an irritated expression from Fry. Ryou inhaled, hoping to pick up a scent and luckily he caught the smell of disinfectant and the aseptic odor of Keiichiro's bandages. He followed the trail, heading deep into the labs to find the usually locked door that led to the artifact storage slightly ajar. He snorted in irritation, the aseptic odor overpowering him, tickling his nose. He pushed the door open to find Keeki in the middle of the room, covered in bandages and a loose fitting dress with patches of fresh blood from her reopened wound.

"She's down here," Ryou called out. Keeki stopped, turning her head slowly to return Ryou's stare before she went back to the large book that Ryou had been cleaning last week. He clenched his teeth, knowing how fragile each page was however she delicately turned the pages, inspecting each one.

"Where did you get this?" Keeki asked, not dragging her eyes from the pages and ignoring her opened cuts.

"Why do you want to know that?" Ryou heedfully answered with another question, dislike growling in voice. Keiichiro and Fry appeared by Ryou's side, Keiichiro pushed inside and tended to Keeki silently again, a large majority of her wounds open due to her exploration.

"I'm guessing you cannot translate this book, am I right?" Keeki asked, avoiding his question. Ryou went to ask his first question again before he bit his tongue, playing her game.

"No, it's an old ancient book that no one in the galaxy can translate so far," Ryou answered her and she jerked her head up at that comment before shakily relaxing.

"So… No one knows of this race?" Keeki asked.

"Why shou-"

"Answer me!" Keeki raised her voice, gripping the book tightly. They all paused at the urgency in her voice, edging on woeful mourning. Fry slowing walked into the room, watching her cautiously in case she got hysterical.

"No one knows of this race except for the other scientists we work with. Apart from that, there is no information about them nor does anyone know about them in the galaxy," Keiichiro answered her. He then noticed how she started to tremble.

"_You saved Mew Pudding twice so that means you're a good guy na no da,"_ Mew Pudding's words echoed in her mind from earlier. She shivered, pain spiking over her body from her injuries.

'They trusted me before. Mew Pudding did twice. I guess, I have to trust them then if I trust Mew Pudding,' She told herself.

"I cannot fight. I don't have a weapon nor combat experience but I'm a good researcher. I was sent here for two reasons, to gather information on your culture and then to be killed when I knew to much," Keeki admitted, feeling Sasujiro's blood coloured eyes glaring at her, burning is despite.

"What do you mean by that?" Fry asked.

"I found out that you weren't the monsters that we had heard about. You were just normal, living your lives in an oblivious calm. We were told that you were murderers, heartless creatures that needed to be wiped from existence," Keeki told them, closing the book up and looking at them directly, "That truth would be a hole in their plan however that's not the reason,"

"What?" Fry prodded.

"Your history has a void, for the first decade, there is only one event recorded. I compared it to our timeline and before that decade of yours. Neither of us has anything recorded... Something happened, I wanted to discover it but no one wants me to…"

"Why tell us this? What does it have to do with us?" Ryou asked her.

"This," She nodded to the book in her hands, "All of this," She flourished her hand around, "Are artifacts of my people. This planet was ours and we left for some reason and you came here for some reason. Something happened that caused this bloodline of hatred," Keeki revealed to them. Keiichiro stopped checking over her dressings, freezing up at her words. It felt like someone removed his voice box, his throat blocked and his emotions stolen from him. Fry stumbled back, trying to dodge of overload of information that exploded in her brain. Ryou stood there, his mind flying with images and memories. He could link them all up, chain them together and support theories.

"God… If that's true, everythin-" Fry breathed, stumbling into the room.

"Then everything makes sense. How the U.A.G responded perfectly at NightFall. Why my parents were so secretive about their work," Ryou added, everything clear in his mind.

"How Masha can detect Kaerufans, dissolve Para para and give out Mew Pendents," Keiichiro breathed, shaking his head.

"Then… The Mew Project is actually a Kaerufan invention… And the U.A.G knows something that they are desperately trying to hide," Ryou breathed. Keeki sat on the floor looking at the book as blood trickled down her pale white back, "Keeki… I get the idea that your only interest is history surrounding this. That's fine. You don't have to fight but will you ally yourself with us?" Ryou asked, knowing it was a long shot. Keeki looked at him judgingly, her golden gaze harsh, measuring up his words and nature.

"Aren't you on the government's side?" Keeki asked him, "Protecting humanity right?"

"No, I made the Mew Project because I wanted to protect innocent lives, protect our environment. I'm fighting for Aquisfera's future itself, not for the U.A.G. Please, we need your helpm we are just trying to protect our environment so life can continue. If that means going after different enemies in the end then…" Ryou paused and took a breath, accepting it, "So be it," Ryou reached out his hand to Keeki. Keeki glanced off to the side before sighing to herself.

"I'll join as long as I have full access to this room," Keeki replied. Ryou closed his eyes, his outstretched hand balling up before opening again, "I'll give you all the information I get in return but if I find out that you are on your government's side then, you may as well kill me," Keeki murmured before taking Ryou's hand.

* * *

"Everyone!" Ichigo cheerily called out, opening the backdoor to the café as the moon rose up into the sky. She took a few steps in, silence answering her. She looked around, expecting everyone to be here, "Masha, where is everyone? They called me here after all…" Ichigo asked as Masha poofed beside her and scanned the café.

"Downstairs! Downstairs Ichigo!" Masha peeped, flying off to the staircase. Ichigo followed as she repeated what she was to say to everyone after what she did this morning. She felt a little nervous, touching her bell, ringing it to remind herself of Masaya's lips on hers. She stopped to jump around on the spot in joy, Masha stopping and floated around, wondering what she was trying to do before she bounded off.

'Take one thing at a time!" She told herself again as she entered the largest room. The black tilted floor reflected the extremely large television screen that filled one wall. There was a large table in the middle, currently everyone was flocking around it and Lettuce and Pudding were the first to notice her.

"Ichigo-san! You're back!" Lettuce ran up, stumbling a little as Pudding rushed by her, crouching for a second before jumping up on Ichigo, wrapping her arms around her.

"Ichigo Onee-chan na no da!" Pudding cheered, Lettuce joining the group hug. Fry watched her, looking at Ryou who was frozen up, staring at the floor as Ichigo walked over to him.

"Shirogane," Ichigo started, and then turned to all of them, "Everyone really…" She smiled as she got down on her knees in front of everyone and bowed her head to the floor, "I'm terribly sorry for how I acted, please forgive me, I didn't mean it," She apologised before she looked up at Ryou who sighed before motioning for her to stand up.

"I should be doing that, not you," Ryou commented, "I need your forgiveness," Ichigo looked back at the other Mews before looking back at Ryou.

"Almost a month ago, we were all just normal girls when you started the Mew Project. Back then, everything was still relatively peaceful however after NightFall, everything changed, everything," Ichigo trailed off before continuing, "I realised that even if we could be normal again, everything wouldn't be the same anymore. You started the Mew Project to save lives and the future for everyone and even if it costs me my humanity, I will protect our planet. I'm pretty sure everyone feels that way," She added, looking back the five other girls who all nodded.

'I won't loose anyone I care about. Mint, Lettuce, Pudding, Zakuro-san, Hitomi, Mum and Dad, even Shirogane and Akasaka-san and especially Masaya. I won't loose a single one,' She thought to herself as Ryou nodded, smiling to himself.

"Thank you, all of you, for sacrificing so much however our situation got worse," Ryou said as screens of information and images appeared on the screen.

"We do have some good news, Keeki the Kaerufan has agreed to work with us," Keiichiro stepped in.

"What? Can we trust her?" Hitomi asked and Keiichiro nodded.

"Talk to her after this and judge for yourself," Keiichiro said before letting Ryou take control again.

"Fry's suspicions have been proven somewhat valid thanks to Keeki," Ryou announced, "Why now know why the alie- Kaerufans are here," He corrected himself, "The reason why the Kaerufans are here is because, this planet, our planet was once theirs," Ryou was interrupted by gasps of shock. He waited for them to calm down before continuing, "We don't know what happened but an event occurred that made the Kaerufans leave and create a deep hatred for us. There is no documentation on our side either, nor any for the Kaerufans. However, one day, we may have a bigger pictur. In any case, we have a bigger fight on our hands so this is where my proposition comes in," Ryou explained, walking off to a fingerprint and keypad lock that sealed into a wall. Quickly, Ryou opened up the huge hidden door to reveal the Infusion Cannon powered up and ready to fire again. The other girls followed, observing the massive machine, "This is the Infusion Cannon, the machine used to infuse you five girls. The Mew Project has been something worked on for a decade, first by my parents then myself but we could only get it to work on teenage and preteen girls no matter what we did," Ryou turned to them, "The Mew Project was a Kaerufan invention and somewhere in the artifacts we have, information on it is stored. Keeki has agreed to translate and find this data and so we can develop the Mew Project more," Ryou told them.

"However, we did achieve something ourselves," Keiichiro pointed out, letting Ryou take control of the conversation again.

"We can now inject DNA into mature girls now, any age over eighteen," Ryou said, "However, I thought before I ruin three more lives I better run it by Tokyo Mew Mew. So, do you believe we should have three more Mew Mews? Or should I not run the second phase of the Mew Project?" Ryou asked them, "The choice is yours," Ichigo and the others looked at each other, their minds clogged up with the onslaught of information that Ryou and Keiichiro had shoved down their throats.

"What do you think Ichigo?" Zakuro asked, looking at her leader. Ichigo jumped at this, looking at the older and more mature Mew Mew.

"What do you mean? I was going to ask you Zakuro-san," Ichigo admitted but Zakuro shook her head.

"You are our leader, back when I refused to join you talked to me, you made me listen and follow your words. You were right and so I trust your judgement Ichigo. For me, it's your call," Zakuro smiled at her before patting her shoulder. Mint looked at little miffed at this but she coughed, gaining Ichigo's attention.

"I treated you poorly when you came to me, I shooed you off my estate but in the end," She then looked off to the side bashfully, "You were right and when I could have possibly died… You showed up at helped me. I'm with Onee-sama," Mint said. Ichigo arched her eyebrow, wondering whether this was a way to suck up to Zakuro but Mint picked up on this, "Honestly, you can't even take my word? I mean it Ichigo," She crossed her arms in irritation, glancing at Ichigo.

"You were my first friend Ichigo, you pulled me from darkness so I trust you," Lettuce smiled, holding Ichigo's hand. Ichigo then felt Pudding's arms wrap around her waist, making her jump under her skin.

"Ichigo Onee-chan saved Pudding and let Pudding be a Mew Mew na no da! Pudding trusts Ichigo Onee-chan too!" Pudding cheered. Ichigo then felt a light smack on her shoulder as Hitomi looked at her then at the Infusion Cannon.

"Looks like it's your call Ichigo," Hitomi said. Ichigo looked at them all, suddenly feeling all of the responsibility and pressure of everyone's trust, health and soul in her hands.

"Everyone, you really trust me? I'm not a good leader or anything, I just did what I thought was right. I'm not a shepherd, I'm not anything like that," Ichigo admitted however no one changed there stance. Ichigo's lips trembled a little as she looked down, "What if I screw up? What if…"

"Trying to find a way out?" Ryou teased her, "Don't worry. You won't be destroying their lives. I'll be pressing the button, I just want your opinion," Ryou said, "I'll take the blame for every Mew Mew I create,"

At that statement, something clicked in Ichigo. She reached out over the button for the Infusion Cannon, looking strictly at Ryou.

"No! I won't let you take the blame. We are all deciding on this so we all take the blame for this!" Ichigo said, looking back at the girls. They walked up to the button, placing their hand over Ichigo's as she hovered over the button. She then looked up expectantly at Ryou and Keiichiro, who chuckled in amusement before placing his hand over theirs. Ryou sighed, running his hands through his hair before his blue eyes landed on Ichigo's. He had a swell of parental pride and he gave up, joining them as they all pressed the button for the Infusion Cannon. They stepped back as it hummed loudly, the ground beneath them shaking wildly.

'So this was the earthquake we felt,' Ichigo thought to herself while the machine whirled, buttons lighting up when she heard a strange fizzling shot and then everything went silent, the earthquake ceasing. Ichigo was lost for words, not sure of what to do next when Ryou took a deep breath, turning to Hitomi.

"We'll need your services again," He grinned at her, Hitomi nodded, "Might be harder this time though," Ryou added but Hitomi waved it away.

"That's what this is for," She said, holding her pendent.

"Girls, to be honest, I really don't know what's going to happen now…" Keiichiro said to them, "Just be ready,"

"Yep!" Ichigo replied, "Tokyo Mew Mew will be ready,"

* * *

The moon crawled across the sky, coming out of hiding from behind the clouds. A ten-year-old girl walked along the moonlight beach, sand seeping between her toes as she walked bare-foot along the long strip of beach. She stopped, turning to the low-tide and sat down on the soft sand. She just waited, her red eyes watching and waiting for something. The clean, warm breeze gently ran through her short red hair, playing around with her red ribbon that sat perfectly on her head. She hugged her legs closer, resting her head on her knees when she heard splashing. She looked out, smiling as a black and white penguin slid on the shore, sand stickling to its white belly.

The girl jumped up, pulling out a small towel from her green bag and ran down to meet the tame penguin. It gawked happily as she met him and hummed in joy as the girl started to softly towel down the penguin.

"Oni-chan would get grumpy again if you get sand everywhere again Yuki," She told the penguin.

"And for good reason! Ringo, where are you? It's dinnertime!" Ringo blinked, hearing her walkie-talkie buzz to life. She pouted, realising she had left it open and on this whole time. She dug through her bag and pulled it out, sighing at her forgetfulness.

"Oni-chan, I'm out at the beach, I'm heading back now," Ringo replied, turning it off as she led Yuki up onto the beach, "Oni-chan can get so grumpy," She pouted before she stretched her back. She then noticed a strange glowing from under her shirt. She tugged at her black string necklace, bringing out a tiny glass vial from under her shirt. There was a small, aqua sphere suspended in the vial. Ringo looked at it, amazed at it started to glow brightly. Yuki looked up at it, mesmerised by it, "Its been glowing a lot this month, especially last night…" Ringo mused when she saw something shooting across the black night sky. She spun around to see a red shooting star, traveling across the sky. She step closer to it, inspecting it when she realised, it was curving and heading towards her. She tried to run away however the ground beneath her glowed white, light shining around her feet and crawling up her body. Her vision started to fade, darkness engulfing her.

* * *

**The End.**

**However, the story will continue in The Mew Project: Aquisfera.**


End file.
